


Harry Brown and the mauraders

by Misty123



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Dumbledore Bashing, Manipulative Dumbledore, Multi, Weasley Bashing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-05-18
Packaged: 2018-10-25 18:45:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 71,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10770192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Misty123/pseuds/Misty123
Summary: Another story, where Harry this time is sent back in time but not quite like most stories on fanfiction.  Does Harry become friends with his parents and the rest of the marauders.  Or does he forsake them for Severus friendship





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Trickster32](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trickster32/gifts).



> So Trickster 32, I am working on Hermione's quest and our other stories honest. I will only say this once as normal, the characters of Harry Potter do not belong to me, I am yet again playing with them and yes this story is again very AU. here will be a lot of favourite and light side bashing you have been warned, so if you like the characters do not read and then complain. This story is really just another version of Dumbledore's pawn, but where I will hopefully be able to do Severus life justice and still have fun with the marauders at Hogwarts. Yes PiffyEQ Severus will still become the potion genius/prodigy that you like, just not following the cannon as set out by JR Rowling. Sorry for the term used that Hogwarts used for Severus but wanted a racial slur that was white person based

Harry Brown nee Potter now knew why Professor Snape was bullied by the marauders, ignored by his Slytherin house mates, belittled and ignored by other Hogwarts students and the house elves with the professors and Hogwarts staff silently condoning the bullying and treatment of Severus Snape.    Severus Snape at eleven had been like Neville Longbottom  in his original timeline, his magical ability had been little more than a squib.  In fact his only saving grace had been his ability at potions, Severus literally eclipsed everybody including their head of house one Horace Slughorn, and even then Harry had  noticed that his mother was happy to take the credit for Severus brilliance at potions.  So instead of Severus starting a new life way from the abuse of his parents at Hogwarts, he had walked into another nightmare, that in the end would lead him down the path to darkness and Lord Voldemort.

 

Everything Severus did magically he had to work very hard for, Harry had been in their numerous classes with Severus when he realised from their first lessons that McGonagall made fun of Severus in her classes.  Flitwick comments towards Severus were scathing and a lot worse than Neville Longbottom had ever endured under Professor Snape.  Every evening found Severus either in the library or the Snake’s common room studying and trying to remain abreast of their course work.   Harry in his old time line had never respected professor Snape, Harry with most of his peers had thought that Snape had everything he wanted and that his use and control of his magic had been easy.  Now Harry knew better, Snape had nothing when starting Hogwarts, he was a poor half-blood child and every bit of magic he used he had to train and study hard for.  Neville with Ron Weasley, Harry now realised winged about unfair their lives were, and how hard learning magic was, but Snape had never complained like his supposed friends and even him he realised.  He had taken the comments that the professors directed at him and had worked and studied even harder to obtain control of his magical core.  Add to that the condoned bullying buy the marauders, and Harry realised that Severus had had it a lot harder than Neville in his old timeline.

 

Nearly every day saw the marauders and others following them torment Severus and now him unmercifully, and because Severus was considered a cracker ( a derogatory term for a wizard or witch) and he had befriended his fellow snake the Hogwarts staff turned a blind eye to their  suffering, the only person who was steadfastly on his side was Flitch the caretaker was a squib after all and himself.   Harry had managed to befriend Severus and tried protect him from the bullying, and when they had been both caught retaliating on in some cases defending themselves from the marauders, he had taken most of the blame and punishment that the Hogwarts staff meted out to them both.   Harry was glad that he had befriended Severus, he was able to share his books and belongings with Severus. 

 

Harry had been shocked when he realised that there housemates and even the house elves thought that Severus was wasting his time attending Hogwarts.  Harry silently agreed with them, Severus would have been far more happier and better attending a normal mundane secondary school and having extra magical lessons with the specialist evening schools that some of his peers back home got.   Severus because of his treatment had started to close himself off from his peers except for him mother and Flitch.  And to Harry’s dismay and shame he knew his mother was just using Severus, She used his theoretical knowledge to make her academic life easier.  Oh Hermione Granger was a using traitorous piece of scum but at least she had completed her own work!

 Harry and Severus shared a room luckily and that at least stopped Severus life becoming worse because of his OCD, Severus had a routine that he never faulted from in the morning and during the day.  Severus rose at the same time and wore the same clothes day in and out.  Severus came from a poor family that was true, but he had more than one set of clothes than he wore.  In the end Harry had managed to have the house elves wash Severus newer clothes until he apparently became comfortable wearing them.   Severus would have a shower twice a day, but never washed his hair.  Even when Harry tried to persuade him to, Severus would comment that “He hated anybody touching his head and especially his hair”

 

Harry had also noticed that Severus had trouble walking any distance, and had a terrible sense of balance especially when they had been taught to fly.  It never helped that his father and his friends the marauders tried to ensure that Severus had the most unflyable broom there was at Hogwarts!

 

 

Harry’s head hurt when he remembered his first life as the boy who lived or to put it in the correct context the boy who was the golden cash cow.  He was raised by the light side headed by Albus Dumbledore to take down and kill Voldemort by dying and then his wealth and power would be shared out amongst his supposed friends the order of the phoenix.

 

He still remembered when Death had sort him out at 12 Grimmauld Place where he had gone to hide  after finding out how badly he was hated and betrayed by his supposed friends and the light side.  He had just lost his Godfather in the ministry through the veil when he had overheard the Weasley’s including the twins, Granger, Neville discussing how they couldn’t wait for his demise after he had dealt the killing blow to Voldemort of course!  After all they wanted Voldemort dead and gone but never wanted to really dirty their hands if possible.  Well Harry had quickly made it back to his dormitory, packed his meagre belongings and high tailed it Grimmauld Place and banish all access to it from everybody else bar him.  Of course old Dumblecoot had tried numerous times to gain access for him and the precious order to Grimmauld place, but Harry had kept refusing him.   It had gotten so bad that the cowardly Remus his unofficial Godfather and werewolf with Molly and Arthur Weasley had tried to make him relent at his stupid and childish behaviour!   Harry had spent the next few weeks alone with just Kreacher trying to think about what he was going to do now when Death appeared with a proposal from the three Lords of the universe and his bosses, namely Lord Time, Fortune and Magic.  The deal was that he was to go back in time to the time of this parents and by doing this, the timeline would be straightened out and Earths future would pan out like it should.  Of course Harry had jumped at the chance, who wouldn’t!  after all he had read a few of the Dr Who books and fan fiction stories on the internet,  there was one based on a series of mundane books about an abused magical wizarding child who at the age of fifteen had been sent back to his parents time, became the heir of the Flamels and Prince of France etc.  but of course he had forgotten the concept of time travel that _a back to the future fan_ could have recounted in their sleep, and that was if Harry’s parents never made out and conceived him then he would never be born, which was a real bitch.  So what had the three lords done to get around this very paradox, they had him born to an elderly couple, and then on his eleventh birthday McGonagall had appeared to tell him and his parents about magic etc.

 

So he had been sent very reluctantly to Hogwarts by his parents, they had wanted him to attend the very good academic mundane school they had chosen for him.  It was after he was sorted into the house of the Snakes the Slytherin that he had come to realise what  just how bad the house of the back stabbing, money grabbing treasonous individuals, also brave and chivalrous not eg Gryffindor,  were to other students not in their house.   And anybody considered slightly different or weaker was easy pickings for them, Harry had started the new name for the Lions house amongst the Snake house, they called the Lions the vultures.  It was when his  memories of his previous life were restored to him that first night in his dormitory, that he also realised just how bad life was in the Vulture Wake.

 

 So it was now the beginning of the summer holidays and his birthday bash was coming up in two weeks’ time, and he  had sent Severus an invitation, there had been no reply to the invitation  or his subsequent letters to Severus and Harry was becoming increasingly worried about his best friend.   Harry had started just dropping few hints about Severus home life to his mother’s friends, who he knew would relay the information he wanted straight back to his parents and he had hoped that would do the trick.   But it seemed that his parents had not taken the hint, so Harry was hastily trying to come up with a plan B that would help Severus and quickly.   Well today he was going to Blackpool with the rest of the family, staying in one of the big hotel resorts for a family weekend with family friends included in the invitation.  His parents were nowhere to be seen, apparently they had a minor incident on the way home from a  model train exhibition they had attended with one of his father’s layouts last weekend, and his uncle Conrad had just stated that his parents would be meeting them at the resort.  He had heard his Uncle Conrad had muttering to his Aunt Rosemary that hopefully his parents would still make it to the family weekend party, after all his father’s appearance before the Cokeworth magistrates had been yesterday, so after a night stay at the local Premier Inn hotel they would leaving to join them at the hotel in Blackpool this afternoon.

 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

It was the Friday morning a week after Harry’s parents had called into to see their sons friends who Harry had told Muriel’s friend about.  The Browns were an elderly couple, who although loved their son unconditionally knew that Harry hopefully had been wrong about the abuse he thought his friend was suffering from his family.  Harry was after all a very sensitive child that saw too much into a situation, so they had agreed to just pop into see Harry’s friend and personally deliver the invitation to their son’s Birthday party.  They were even going to offer to allow Severus to stay with them for a couple of weeks over the summer holidays.  But to their horror when they stepped through the open front door at Spinners end, they had seen a sight that they never wanted to see again.  Oh their Harry had got his information wrong, the abuse worse and a lot worse than he thought, it was only because they needed to get the comatose child to the local hospital, that her husband had merely knocked out Severus father and not killed him.    Then to their horror it appeared that the local police, neighbours and social services had been trying to get the child removed, but the child apparently came under the authority of the magical government!  A stupid officious magical ministry employee  called Dumbledore had tried to stop the boy from being taken into the local authorities care, thank god it was Dave that was there and made the idiot see the error of his ways.  Muriel knew if it had been her then Dumbledore would have been dead, the only place Muriel thought a child abuser should be was in a grave, and she would have gladly put Dumbledore there for even thinking that the boy should be returned to the scum that were his parents!

 

Severus Snape had finally been released into the care of Harry’s parents that morning,  with a list of medication and outpatient appointments they he needed to attend at their local hospital.  Mr David Brown had been very lucky that he wasn’t charged with GBH or attempted murder against the British  chief Warlock Dumbledore, when he had taken a claw hammer to him.  The police who had attended the incident at Spinners end had quickly listed the options for Albus Dumbledore regarding the alleged incident between him and Severus new parents.  Dumbledore could press charges through the muggle courts against Severus new father and lose everything when regretfully the information regarding Dumbledore’s apparent protection of children abusers was released to the magical press by a unknown person.  Or everybody could forget everything had happened and Severus could leave Cokeworth hospital with his new parents.  Dumbledore had wisely chosen the latter option, and even if had pressed charges the police knew that the magistrates would have ensured that David Brown was punished by just a slap to the wrist.  After all it was a common occurrence to be called to the run down area of Cokeworth Spinners end, but it wasn’t every day that saw a barely breathing comatose abused child being loaded into an ambulance and blue lighted to the nearest NHS Children’s hospital, where he had just survived, and only because he apparently had magical blood.

 

It was the issue that Severus was technically a magical child, that had allowed the Warlock Dumbledore to try to stop the Browns from adopting the poor little sod.  Now it was well known amongst normal society that the British mundane government had control over all mundane born children, including children born of two mundane parents.  The magical government had control and authority over magical children and this included children who were the product of one magical parent.  Unfortunately Severus because he had witch for a mother (or bitch as a Black mundane woman neighbour had commented to the police) couldn’t be rescued by the mundane authorities. 

 

Severus birth parents had abused the poor child physically, verbally, emotionally and psychologically his crime was twofold.  His father abused him because he was wizard and had limited magical  ability, his mother had condoned and even abused the child herself because he according to her a Cracker in the magical world and a disgrace to his magical family and heritage.

 

Well when the Browns had stopped to see why Severus hadn’t answered their sons letters this summer, and when they had seen the state of the poor child and witnessing Tobias Snape kicking a unconscious Severus in the head,  they had done no more and called an ambulance.  The Browns at the hospital had quickly agreed to take in the child, after all they told the social worker and NSPCC liaison  officer their son and Severus were best friends.  The social worker and the NSPCC officer had then escorted David back to Spinners end to collect Severus belongings when the chief warlock Albus Dumbledore had arrived the house after being called by the boy’s mother and had stated that he would never give authority for Severus to be taken from his loving family.  The police officers were about to try to reason with the naassic psychopath when Mr Brown had left the house and was returning with a claw hammer from his car when a neighbour joined him and walked into the house  with  a shotgun (his wife was still sitting with the child at the hospital with another WPC officer) David walked into the hovel  and before he could start to say his piece over Dumbledore’s boring  righteous speech the neighbour shot a few  into the hovels ceiling then aimed the gun at Warlock and threatened to kill the him starting with his family jewels. 

 

It had all ended quite amicably down the Cokeworth police station, which had led to the emergency meeting with Cokeworth social workers and Gringotts Goblins where the child was officially put into the permanent  custody of the Browns.  While this was happening the Stations police commander again was just spelling out to Dumbledore his apparent options.  Dumbledore had not pressed charges and left the police station very unhappy, and the police and mundane authorities sent Severus case notes and outcomes to the ministry of health so more ammunition could be secured about the abuse of magical children!

 

The neighbour had luckily just melted back into the background of Spinners End, and the police (who for once were not trying to hard) just couldn’t find the neighbour. 

 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Severus had been in the Cokeworth children’s ward for four days and Muriel Brown had only left his side reluctantly to sign the Gringotts adoption papers for Severus, and to retire back to the Premier inn they had stayed in that week, when Dave took over sitting with their new son in hospital.  When she heard what her husband of thirty years had done her only words had been along  the lines of her husband had been too lenient in his dealing with the British Warlock!   But now the day of the families weekend holiday and where their other son Harry would be told about them gaining custody of Severus.  Severus had been released into their care that morning, Grandpa Rob as he was known had dropped off his father’s wheelchair for Severus to use this weekend, after all Great granddad Brian would be using his mobility scooter and walking frame this weekend.  Luckily for them her husband’s layout had been packed  into its trailer at the end of the show by her husband’s fellow club modellers and somebody had towed the layout and the  stock home, allowing them to concentrate on Severus.  Now they were traveling from Cokeworth to the Blackpool hotel, where the whole family would get to meet Severus later on this afternoon.   While the rest of the family were playing in the end of year county bash  of a sport they all played for Hertfordshire, Muriel and her adopted sister would be shopping for Severus in Blackpool this weekend for new clothes etc.  Muriel was falling asleep in the front of the car, and Severus was fast asleep  on the back seat of their comfortable car, covered in blankets to keep him warm and feeling safe.

 

They now had two sons, when they had really never wanted even one child.  Harry had been a spectacular mistake that they would never regret.  The child had always seem so mature, with family and close friends stating that he had always was had an adults mind in a child’s body.  But they now had Severus who would need a lot of care and love, they had both stated privately to each other that they hoped Harry was mature enough to cope with not only an extra sibling but a sibling that would need most of their attention for some time in the future!   The hospital had stated that the MRI and CT scans they had completed on Severus had shown hot only physical damage to his body, but had shown that Severus had severe brain damage as well, more disturbingly was the fact that the damage the Scans showed had been there for a time, and they couldn’t say how the damage would affect him at present.  But one thing Muriel and Dave were in agreement of was that Severus couldn’t attend Hogwarts with his current injuries at present or perhaps ever.

 

They arrived at the hotel in Blackpool, the hotel was situated at the top part of the town and just outside a tram stop.  After registering into the hotel and finding their room, the Browns decided to take Severus for his first ride on a tram and make a start on acquiring new clothes for him.  For lunch they stopped at a McDonalds, they wheeled a sleepy Severus into the restaurant and assisted   him to eat and drink,  Dave had muttered something about thank god for McDonalds just this once.  They got Severus a chocolate milk shake and  a child’s happy meal, Severus stomach was so shrunk through the starvation that he had suffered since the beginning of the school holidays that he couldn’t even finish the small meal.    Severus looked at the toy that had come with the meal, it was a crass miniature figure from a Disney movie that was being promoted at the moment.  But  Severus grasped the figure so tightly in his hand, hiding his hand in one of his trouser pockets as if they would take the toy away from him.  Both Dave and Muriel looked at each other and they silently agreed that the most important thing for Severus to have today was his own plushies.  So they found a small toy shop and brought him both the plushies that he picked out, one was a panther and the other was a snake as well as a few other toys.

 

They managed as well to get Severus a couple of outfits and underwear to tide him over till the next day, when Muriel and her sister could go shopping for the rest of the clothes.   Muriel had never felt so glad she had accepted early retirement for her job at the local hospital,  she had planned on completing maybe two shifts a week for the hospital temporary staffing agency.  But she had released earlier in the week that most of her time for the considerable future would be taken up with looking after Severus.  She was never so glad that Dave and herself had the help and assistance of not only her younger brother, but her sister in law family as well.   Her sister in law family had adopted the Browns after both sets of parents had died, and then there was the families friends as well who would insist on giving a helping hand when needed.

 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

British Chief Warlock Albus Dumbledore, light lord and leader of the order of the Phoenix, headmaster  of Hogwarts of witchcraft and wizardry was sitting in his office furious.  His future plans had been badly compromised with the adoption of the Cracker Severus Snape by a mundane couple.

 

He had known when he first heard about the Snape boy and seen him at the sorting feast that he would be the perfect pawn for him to use.  Of course the child needed to be put in his place in the wizarding world, and that had started so well last year after all.   Severus parents had done a perfect job in raising their child to be a hurt and angry young wizard, it helped that the family was dirt poor.   He had ensured the child had been sorted into the dark and evil house of Slytherin, the only house to produce dark and evil wizards of course.  It had taken Albus Dumbledore years to ensure that the snake house had the reputation he wanted, unknown to most people (who were really like sheep) he sat down just before the start of the September term and ensured that a few of the incoming students were sorted into the houses that he required.   Students from influential magical light families were of course sorted into Gryffindor, there were very few mud blood or mundane students sorted into the Lion’s den.  He also ensured that a few children that he needed to be converted to the light side were also sorted into the Lions house.  The snake house housed all the dark magical aligned children, he usually also ensured that mud bloods or poorer students were sorted into the badger house where their housemates would look after them.  Then for the rest of the incoming population the hat randomly sorted the children into the three other houses, that was why Slytherin house always had the smallest intake of students. 

 

It had been relatively easy to ensure that the poor cracker boy Severus Snape had been marginalised and ostracised from the Hogwarts population.  Then he allowed the marauders to bully the cracker, with the pranks, hexing and bullying slowly getting worse.  With Severus in Sluggy House Albus knew the young lad would have nobody fighting for him in his corner.  As far Sluggy was concerned Severus was a poor half breed cracker, who came from a disgraced and disinherited magical witch.  The rest of the professors would only see Severus as that cracker snake who caused trouble with other students.  How such a poor specimen of wizardry could be seen as such by his subordinates was laughable really, even Flitwick usually the most fair minded of the professors had fallen under the impression and spell that Dumbledore had created regarding Severus.

 

But things had come to a head when Eileen Prince had called him and informed him that the mundane authorities were taking Severus into their care, and already had a mundane couple to look after the child.  No way could Albus allow such a major pawn to be rescued and taken from his grasp, Severus was one of the essential lynch pins in his plan.   Severus had to be raised to follow the Dark  Lord and other Slytherin students, and then come over to the light side.  So Albus had quickly fled to the mundane hovel of Cokeworth to stop the mundane authorities from taking Severus into their care.  Then to his surprise and outrage the idiots had wrong footed him,  he had to let the boy go into the mundane’s care, he knew then he had lost the Cracker boy for good.

 

Not only was it terrible that his pawn had escaped his fingers, but the precedent of the mundane authorities rescuing half breeds had been set.  He knew that as the mundanes said this was the tip of the ice burg, today a cracker, tomorrow the mundanes would rescue more half breeds and then when they had that power wrested from the magical authorities the bastards would start to interfere into the pure blood families and the raising of their children.  The mundane authorities would think nothing of stopping families like the Malfoys from abusing their children with magical and physical punishments. 

 

Oh the mundane government always came up with the excuse that they were sticking their nose into the cases of abused half breed children.   But Dumbledore knew better, the mundane government end game was the integration of the two societies and then his power would be non-existent.   That is why it was imperative that there was at least two major British wizarding wars in the next thirty years, by ensuring that the magical community and families were at each other throats, then the mundane government would not be able to integrate the two societies.  By ensuring that the dark fraction was seen as being closely aligned to the new evil dark lord, then their power base would be eroded and the light side power would increase.   But now he had to find another student, the best outcome would be another second year student to take over the cracker boys role in his plan!  He had just had a letter from the crackers new guardians stating that the idiot would not be attending Hogwarts again in the near future if at all.    The problem was that there were no other Snakes that came close to matching the crackers boys credentials for being his pawn,  he knew that even the muggle born child Harry Brown would never be a pawn in his plans.  It was still a mystery how the lad had not only been sorted into the snake pit but had been excepted by the other snake there.  So he would have use a student from either the Ravens or Badgers house, but who to use and meld into his pawn.   There was Bones perhaps or even better Barty Crouch Jr, the lad he knew would never live up to his father’s expectations, and all he had to do was ensure that the muggle born shrew Lilly Evans became best friends with him.  Which would be relatively easy seeing as the girl was just about average in her academic school work.  So with the right incentives the girl would ensure that Barty fell under her thumb, and then at the right moment she would finish their friendship and he would follow the Dark Lord until he was persuaded to come back to the light, and become his pawn and spy. 

 

People especially children would so easily malleable to your will, if you knew their weaknesses etc.  Yes his plans for the future were now back on track.  Articus Brandon would marry Mary Prewitt after she spiked his drink a compulsion and love potion, they would have to get bonded when the silly chit became pregnant.  Articus would be disinherited from his family the Brandon’s and forced to take the headship of the now little known dead family the Weasley’s for breaking the pre- bonding agreement between him and Yelizaveta Malfoy, putting in place for all time a family blood feud between the Weasley’s and the Malfoys.  The Weasley’s  had once upon a time been a very wealthy and whose daughters had bonded out leaving no one to carry on the family head, until now.   Articus could become Arthur Weasley because his mother was one of the youngest Weasley’s girls and could pass on the title to him legitimately.   Dumbledore would ensure that the Weasley’s were always kept poor, and therefore would become very useful followers in his order of the Phoenix.  

 

After all until the Potter orphan started Hogwarts at eleven, nearly twenty years into the future after all!  Dumbledore would ensure that the Weasley’s would be carried further into the filth and muck of his shady dealings.  Rather like most of the Phoenix members, including of course the aurors and most of the employees of the ministry of magic and the elected officers.  Dumbledore never had to mark his followers like Tom Riddle, no his branding was a lot more personal and lifelong for the order members and their families.  Dumbledore always ensured he helped his followers, but like a great leader ensured that they would never be able to leave or turn on him in the future.  That is why he had fought, planned and ensured he became Headmaster of Hogwarts school, what better way to ensure the enslavement of the future members of the light fraction then to teach and guide them during their formative years at school, and then be remembered as a slightly favourite senile old Grandfather, ever the snakes never caught on to the fact that he was sane, careful and very cleaver.    The sorting hat had been quite correct the year it sorted Dumbledore into the all boys house of Slytherin all those years ago, the house had ensured that he was given and provided the means to full fill his life’s aims and objectives.


	2. Hogwarts report cards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry finds out that he now has an adopted brother, will this have any consequences for Harry's education at Hogwarts. Two other students reports cards are also being discussed with them.

Muriel Brown was sitting in one of the hotels downstairs bar lounges waiting for the family to arrive, her husband David was upstairs in what would be the boys rooms reading and explaining to Severus the intricates of model railway building and how wonderful the Great Western Railway was, she was sure she had heard the word Didcot in their intense conversation.  Which if she was correct meant that the family would be taking a day trip to the hateful railway attraction again. 

 

Severus had seemed fascinated with the railway magazines and books that David had with him, it had been a disappointment to him to realise that their son Harry had no interest in railways, trains models or otherwise.  The boy would always help David out, and had and would help David build, test and run their layouts but it was never the boys greatest love.  Harry loved and was good at most sports including  football, rugby, carpet bowls, tennis, squash and athletics.  Over the years he had made a lot of friends with his adopted niece Jordan, but what was nice was that Harry ensured that there was no bullying either in his circle of friends.  And he ensured that his friends never bullied or targeted weaker or different children.

 

In fact over the years Harry friends parents had joined their extended unofficial family, and during the years they had all met up in each other houses to attend the obligatory children’s parties and barbecues etc.  It was a pleasant shock that even when Harry had gone to boarding school, the circle of friends had still included them.  Some of the families were attending the sporting event this weekend, as it had come to be seen as a fun weekend.  Muriel knew as well that the whole group of them would be camping down on the campsite that their families caravan was on for a week of laughs, and just enjoying every bodies company, including the rest of the family.  And to visit the Great Dorset Steam festival before the children had to return to school.

 

Muriel looked up from her novel to see Rob trying to help steer his father Brian to their table.  They managed to make it with out to many broken feet being run over by the scooter she noticed.  After the greetings, and Rob managing to buy everybody a drink at the bar,  Rob enquired about Dave and Severus whereabouts.  Muriel explained that Dave was with Severus in the boys room keeping him company, they were hoping to explain the new situation to Harry first before allowing the onslaught of the rest of their crowd to be introduced to Severus.

 

Brain just looked wearily at her and suggested “That perhaps introducing Severus to a few of the family first might help him not be so over whelmed when facing the shebang later on this evening of his new family and friends”  So with that idea in mind Muriel took them upstairs to the boys room.

 

The room itself was large and spacious, and could quite comfortably fit in a small bedsit in it,  although there were chalets available most of the family had decided long ago to stay in the comfortable five star hotel rooms.  They knocked on the hotel door, and Severus opened it gaping at Muriel and the two strangers behind her, he suddenly looked round and bolted into the bathroom trying to hide from the two wizards he knew where there with Harry’s nice mum.

 

Severus wasn’t stupid, and knew that he was only tolerated by a few people including his mum and da.  Severus had wanted to be friends with the local children in his street but his mother had punished him when she saw him playing with those lowly mundanes, and the neighbours although liking Severus were very wary of antagonising his drunken father.  Although they had tried  numerous times over the years to try and get the police or authorities to intervene and take Severus into the local authorities care.   This was impressive, when a person realised that Spinners End was a area where the unofficial law was to mind your own business, if you didn’t then it was only matter a of time before someone took offense at your interest in their affairs.   The other law followed in Spinners end were the local authorities services including the social work department and police were never spoken to by anyone.  The only officials allowed free pass onto Spinners end normally were the Fire service and the ambulance and GP Doctors and the Community nurses.   Spinners End was a very rough area to live, but the inhabitants did look out for each other, older people and the vulnerable including children were looked after by the residents.  It had done the police or local authority officers no favours when they were powerless to move the Snape child to a safer place.

 

Severus first friend had been the angel in his eyes Lilly Evans, she sat next to him in class and ensured that the other children didn’t bully him.  It was perhaps a shame that Severus for whatever reason had been enrolled in the infant and junior school in Lilly’s catchment area and not his own.  The children that attended his school would have bullied him for coming from the bad part of town if Lilly hadn’t apparently protected him fiercely.  The school was excellent academically, and the teachers had tried to integrate Severus with his class mates.  But for some reason they failed to achieve their aims, and they and others local authority organisations and departments had not been able to remove the child from his abusive home. 

 

Severus run and hid himself in the enormous bath, of course ensuring that the bathroom door was locked and the curtain round the bath was closed to hide him.  It was a little time later that Harry’s mum found him trying not to cry about his dream life being over.  She took one look at him, picked him up and cuddled him tight, and in hushed whispers that you would use on a scared or wounded animal reassured him that he was never to go back to his parents again.

 

Severus looked at her with his large dark onyx eyes and with hic cups asked “But who are those two wizards with you, one looks just like this auror who brought me back to my parents the last time I ran away.   He even said that my da had to be firmer with me, and that I did to be taught to obey my betters and elders”  Muriel was shocked, how could anybody return a child to the environment they had found Severus in last week, she took a deep breath and explained who Rob and Brain were.  Severus climbed down from her lap and went to the doorway and asked in a hopeful but frightened voice “So you will be my new Grandpa Rob and Grandpa Brain then?”  and both men nodded, promising Severus that before anybody returned him to his old family they would have to run the gauntlet of his new extended family.  And with what can only be Slytherin tactics Severus asked ever so nicely, did they have an sweets in their pockets to ward off the feelings off weakness and dizziness he had felt, after all everybody knew that chocolate was the best medicine against most ailments.   And if chocolate was not available then other lesser sweets would have to do!    So it ended up with Severus and his new parents and Grandpas fussing over him, if this is what Harry’s family was like, why on earth had he wanted to go to Hogwarts last year was beyond him.   

 

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It was on the refreshment break on the motorway services, that Uncle Conrad informed Harry about his new adopted brother, his best friend Severus.  Conrad knew that his sister and husband with the best intentions had wanted to explain to Harry first what they had done.  But Conrad after discussing it with his wife Rosemary and her sister Janice and the rest of the family, had decided that it was for the best to prepare Harry before they reached the Blackpool hotel later that afternoon.

 

The motorway services were like nearly every British services, they were built around a carpark and had a basic hotel like a Travel Lodge  inn, a food and entertainment court.  Harry was ecstatic, he knew that today he could literally pig out on McDonalds or KFC, most probably both and then play on the amusement arcade for a bit and his parents would not be there to silently admonish him for it.   Oh his parents spoilt him, and being a lot older than his other friends parents, he had managed to skim by on his school work, only working for an average grades.  Not like his friends Shaun or John.  They were black Caribbean and their parents expected them to top of their class, or at the very least average A’s for their school course work, and to be fair all his friends including his cousin Jordan had their parents on their arses about how important obtaining the right grades in the right GCSE and A level subjects were.  His and Jordan’s groups of friends included Black children, Asian and Indian children, Polish, Pilipino and of course white children.  His parents although obtaining their degrees and having professional careers, were more laid back and just wanted Harry to do well in his school but also enjoy himself and not stress his self out over achieving high grades.  They believed that Harry just wasn’t very intelligent and didn’t want to pressurise him too much.  Perhaps it was his Slytherin cunning coming  into play, but when the rest the family especially his Aunt Rosemary and her sister Aunt Janice had mention quite strongly to his mother about Harry sloping of on his school work, he had accidently  left the internet pages open on articles on high achieving children committing suicide because of parental and peer pressure.  His mum had been quite frim with the rest of the family after seeing the articles and even over ruled his dad for once, her precious special sensitive little boy was not going to be pressurised into committing suicide because he couldn’t produce the grades expected of him.  Jordan and the rest of  their friends had repeatedly informed him what a lucky sod, git etc he was.  His dad, Aunts and the rest of the family had muttered out of the hearing of his mother admittedly that he had yet again pulled a fast one and if they had any say in the matter he would be pushed to reach his full potential.  And every day he sent a thankful prayer to the gods and Merlin above that he had managed to hood wink his mother.   The only good thing about attending Hogwarts was the grading system, his parents especially his mother had no idea what the grades stood for.  He knew he could have got a Troll and passed it of as a pass and they would have been none the wiser.  But luckily he had got acceptable in all his subjects and grades, and his parents had seen the report card and assumed wrongly that Harry had got top passes because the letter A was the grade supplied.  He had of course ensured that the list of gradings and their meanings that all parents received with the report had gone _missing,_ was it his fault that the school owls dropped pieces of useless parchment over Southern England when delivering mail.

 

So he sat at one of the plastic tables with his Aunt, Jordan and her  Great Gran, who everybody called Nanny Jean.  It had surprised him to find out that Nanny Jean was coming to Blackpool with them, normally she hated anywhere she considered wet, cold and substandard, which really meant most of the British Isles, but she had when they were younger accompanied the family to these holidays and outings to babysit him and Jordan.  She had stated quite secretively to them in  the car that she had come to start looking after a child during the weekend.  Harry and he knew Jordan was in agreement that they hoped Nanny Jean wasn’t expecting to baby sit them.  How could they play and accomplish little things with her dodging their footsteps.  It was a shame, but the old dear still believed they were three or four years old when she had looked after them for their parents.   But now they were teenagers and **_NEEDED THEIR SPACE_** _away from prying and concerned eyes!_ Come on the Hogwarts professors thought they could catch them most nights after curview at, the only one who could come close to Nanny Jean unerring sense of mischief and rule breaking that children did was Flitch the caretaker.

 

He saw his Uncle coming back with the first part of their groups food order, his and Jordan’s.    Now perhaps his order was a tad excessive in the fact he had ordered a double Big Mac meal, large fries, Large Strawberry Milk Shake with two Large Cokes as well.  A double cheese burger and 2 apple and custard pies and to be fair he was still eyeing up getting a 17inch pizza from Pizza hut to munch on the way with the left over coke, he was after all a growing boy and had not had any fast food whilst at Hogwarts.  Also his parents would never ever condoned normally food from a fast food restaurant.    He separated out his order from Jordan’s and started to munch through it.  It was soon after that  when the five of them were contently eating when his Aunt Rosemary dropped their little  bomb shell to him and Jordan with just blurting out “Harry, your parents have officially adopted your best friend Severus.  Apparently they were the only people who could quickly because of your friendship.  They are waiting with Severus for you at Blackpool.  Severus has been very ill, and has had to stay in hospital this week, the injuries he suffered (from his abusive parents, Harry correctly surmised) have not only been physical in nature.  The hospital thinks that Severus has suffered some very serious and long lasting brain damage” Harry sat at the table shell shock and sick with worry,  his treat forgotten in front of him.  Jordan held his hand comfortingly, Severus couldn’t be that hurt.  His best friend and now brother from Hogwarts couldn’t be that badly injured, oh Severus even as teenager had a sarcastic wit and intellect that you fell in love with, when you were allowed by him to become his friend.  He remembered all the times that Severus had patiently gone through their school work with Harry trying to fix it into his dunderhead brain as he called it, if you were lucky enough to become Severus friend there wasn’t enough that Severus would do to help you.   Harry then thought that Dumbledore had better hide very well or be dead when he graduated from Hogwarts because he was going to ensure that he paid Dumbledore back for every injury and slight he had been dealt with.   The three unforgivables were to too good for the old coot, they were too quick and humane for him.  Oh Harry knew from his old time line that there were light spells and magic that outcomes were far more torturous and slow acting then any dark magic including the unforgivables, pity that in this time line Severus had not created his cutting spell yet. 

 

But Harry realised he was glad and grateful that Severus had been saved from his families hellhole, even if he was severely brain damaged.  Harry at this moment in time would take anything to keep Severus safe and alive with his family, then Harry sat there stunned when he realised that Lilly Evans had to have known about the abuse Severus suffered at home.  Where was the compassionate, courageous fighter that put family and friends first that he had been told about.  Everybody who spoke about his mother stated that she was intelligent, hardworking, courageous, loyal etc.  So why hadn’t she gone to the professors or her parents informing them about Severus home life.   Perhaps it was case of not speaking ill of the dead, or the people who had described Lilly to him had been her favourite professors and friends!

 

Harry’s Uncle then broke into his thoughts, to confirm that because of the extra work required in looking after Severus.  Uncle Conrad and Aunt Rosemary had offered and his parents reluctantly agreed to ensure that Harry was happy at Hogwarts and was reaching his full potential, just to stop his parents from undue worrying etc.  Oh crap thought Harry as his Uncle produced with a flourish his Hogwarts report card with a breakdown of his grades.  He may thank merlin that he now has Severus as a brother, but did it have to come with his Aunt and Uncle taking over his education.  Their insane standards were the very same as his friends and Jordan’s parents if not harder, they expected him to do very well in  all his subjects and get Outstanding’s and not just coast along obtaining Averages.  His uncle said that they would be having a little discussion about his school report during the weekend and next week.  And all his cousin do was grin madly at him and put her thumbs up, as if to say welcome to my world!

 

It was after the rest of the family had caught up with Harry and Jordan and had a break that they restarted their journey north to Blackpool.  Nanny Jean had been persuaded to travel in another car, and Jordan’s Nan and Rosemary’s mother joined them in their car.  Jordan leant over to Harry and whispered “Well at least Nanny Jean isn’t here to baby sit us, I think she is here to help look after Severus.  If we play this right, then she will focus most of her attention on Severus leaving us relatively alone!”  well thought Harry at least there were more positive outcomes with his parents adopting Severus then negative.  Pity about his mother’s relatives managing to take over his education, well at least he had something in common to moan about with his friends when  he next saw them.

 

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Harry Brown was not the only Hogwarts student having his report card dissected in front of them, James Potter had been sitting in his father’s study Lord Charles Potter.  Listening to the old fool berate him again for his lack of effect into his school work, and his behaviour towards other students as well.

 

James loved his parents, but did not respect them and their advice.  He had always been the favoured Godchild of one Albus Dumbledore who had ensured that his parents, especially his father disappointment had no effect on James or his life.  James had thought that when he started to attend Hogwarts, he did not have to worry about his parents and especially his father finding out about his dismal work ethic and adventures.  He had wrongly assumed that the Hogwarts professors including his head of house and the half creature  the diminutive idiot Flitwick would be too scared of Dumbledore’s wrath to truthfully report his  behaviour and inattention in their classes.  James had only passed most of his subjects by persuading his peers to assist him with his course work.   But obviously if his fathers out dated reaction was anything to go on he would have to be more circumspect in his pranking of other students especially the cracker Snivellous, the stupid git should never have received a letter of invitation to Hogwarts.  To make it even worse one of  cracker Snivellous best friends was the girl who knew he would marry after school a mundane witch called Lilly Evans. 

 

Lord Charlus Harry Potter looked over his glasses at his wayward son, and internally sighed.  Yet again he was trying to instil into him some common sense and courtesy.  If he knew it would have any effect then he would have used corporal punishment on his son like his peer Lord Orion Black.  But he had seen that corporal punishment only hardened the child towards the parent who administered it. 

 

Lord Charlus Potter was worried about his sons and families future.  He knew he was very ill, he was after very old even for a wizard and his health had been deteriorating slowly over the years.  He had what the mundanes called a slow growing tumour,  nothing that the magical healers had done had stopped or slowed the tumour down.  When he gone to the mundane specialists like his friend Colonel Brandon had suggested they had said it was too late to cure the illness, or they were able to accomplish was to slow the evitable down, and because he was a wizard, the evitable could be quite a bit longer than a mundane’s.   He had hoped that he would survive until James had grown up and graduated from Hogwarts school, but he could see that Dumbledore’s influence with his wife’s over protectiveness and pampering would most probably never result in his son maturing enough to become the Potter Lord and head of house.  It was with this heavy heart that Charlus was speaking to the Goblin and his best friend Colonel Christopher Brandon to ensure that the Potter estate and Lordship was safe.  It meant in reality removing James as his heir and placing the estate in its entirety and political power in a regents hand till his grandson a Charlus Harry Potter became of age.  A gypsy seerer had informed him when his only son was a baby in arms, that he would never have the correct attributes or character to be a good Lord and that his Grandson one Charlus  Harry Potter would grow up to be the man his father never was.  Charlus had dismissed the gypsies words and warnings, but he grown to see this past year that the gypsy had been right in her warnings, and he was reluctantly taking action to ensure his Grandson and his legacy was safe in the Goblins and the regents hands.   But what could he do now to try to turn his son away from his bad choices he was determined to make, any punishment or guidance he gave to James would be migrated by Dumbledore’s actions and his wife’s pampering. 

 

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Sirius Black was lying down on his bed in the heir suite of his families town house Grimmauld place, his father had canned severely him for his school report.  And he was now on restriction for the rest of the summer holidays. 

 

Sirius hated his family and their friends and dark side acquaintances including the Brandon’s, he would be getting his own back on his cousins the Black sisters over the coming weeks, he knew that Bella and Cissy would have been over joyed to informed his parents of his pranking of other undesirable children.

 

As a good light supporter and one of Gryffindor top cats literally, he knew it was his right and expected of him and his friends the marauders to prank and hex anybody that deserved it.  That included the evil dark members of the Snake house, especially the two friends Harry Brown and the cracker Snivellous.  Looking around the well-lit and opulently furnished room he knew it was his right as the future Light Lord Black to decide who should be breathe to breathe in his presence.

 

He had to follow the man he had grown to love and adore over the year his best friend’s God farther Albus Dumbledore.   Albus had made it quite clear to him and the other light side supporters students who were the right sort.  The unofficial hierarchy of the light side was

Albus Dumbledore

The right sort were rich, influential, powerful and well connected light supporters that included him and James.

Other light supporting pure bloods

Everybody who had been in the official light house at Hogwarts (Gryffindor obviously)

Other wizards and witches that were useful or held influential positions in the ministry and the magical society

Wealthy Half breeds light supporters

Wealthy mud blood witches and wizards

Some creatures that could be exploited and used for the light sides causes, everybody else was below his and the other influential light side supporters notice.  Which meant he and his fellow Gryffindor’s had  almost three quarters of the school to Lord over literally.

 

He was in the only Hogwarts house that had the light side supporters in it.  The other two houses had a mixture of dark and light supporters, and the Snakes were not only the smallest house but was the only house where the evil and corrupt were sorted into. 

 

He belonged to the house that had won the school cup almost consistently for the last twenty years, ever since Albus had become headmaster.  Gryffindor ruled supreme on the Quidditch pitch against the other houses, everybody that was not a Gryffindor quaked when they walked past them, the other houses students knew better than to try to get any Gryffindor punished, and tittle tattling was dealt with swiftly.  After all it was the right and privilege of the best in society to punish the weaker citizens. 

Sirius  had soon realized was in the Gryffindor house, it was everybody for themselves. The Gryffindor tower was like a war zone most nights, with the lower and higher common rooms full of noisy prats who made up the most of his housemates, they would include also include his friends in the marauders stab you in the back to get a good grade, or even get out of trouble.  He had learned quickly to his cost, not to leave any schoolwork around, cause some arsehole would copy it, okay he had done it, copied a piece of work on history assignment, changed a few words here and there, rephrased a few sentences, if the person was stupid enough to leave their work around he’d use it thank you very much. But at least thought he had picked his friends carefully, very carefully, by careful selecting of friends, he had friends passed most of the subjects, including potions.

 

Potions one class they had to share with the corrupt snakes house, what joy and fun it was to ensure the snakes potion was totally ruined.  It had been such a lark to throw a reactive ingredient into the cracker’s cauldron when they were brewing the boil cure lotion, except the ingredient was deflected into another’s students cauldron.  The student a wealthy mundane from his house had been sent home permanently from Hogwarts when she was blinded by the ruined potion being covered over her. The potion had got into her eyes, the tossed ingredient turned the potion into the engorging potion extreme, oh he knew that the ingredient would alter the potion.  But it had been to brighten up the lesson and to hex the cracker again, after all it would have been hilarious to see his conk growing to at least three times its normal size.  But instead of Snivellous nose the potion had managed to affect his fellow Gryffindor’s eyes and she had been blinded when her eye balls burst form the effects of the potion.  Dumbledore had been for once furious with the maunders, and his punishment had been the cane and detention with the caretaker squib for a month.  Apparently the mundane parents were suing the school because of a little prank that had gone wrong.  But it still made Sirius chuckle to think what Snivellous would have looked like when if the prank had gone right!  He felt absolutely awful and sick when he thought what had happened to his Gryffindor peer in that class, but as the Gryffindor mill had stated potions was the most dangerous class.  Students were always being injured, some seriously and permanently like this fellow peer, or in some cases there had been fatal accidents in the class., especially with an incompetent baboon in charge of the class like old Sluggy!

 

Sirius knew lying on the bed, that he and his fellow Gryffindor’s were in the right.  Only dark and dangerous criminals and dark lords came from the Snake house.  No matter what his parents said or did to change his abhorrent attitude or behaviour according to them, he knew he was in the right and was a truly good and upstanding wizard, not like the cracker Snivellous and his friend Harry Brown.  Both of the snakes Sirius realised would need to be brought down to earth as painfully as possible when the next school year commenced.


	3. Chapter 3 Now we are brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry's and severus first year at Hogwarts, how will Severus cope with his very new and large and extended family and Nanny Jean!

It was early evening when the rest of Harry’s family pulled up into the Blackpool carpark,  Harry just wanted to get out the car and find his parents and Severus as quickly as possible.  Harry just needed to see and comfort Severus, being his friend over the year had taught Harry that Severus was very uncomfortable with any change to his routine.   He also knew that Severus would be feeling afraid of the people he found himself with, it taken nearly a whole of the autumn term for Severus to start thaw towards him and become best friends.  Befriending Severus was like befriending a feral cat or Kreacher the loyal head Black house elf,  you had get past their defences and be prepared to be hurt by them, before you could befriend and help them in anyway.  While a feral cat used it claws, teeth and tail in some cases to keep other animals and people away especially when the cat was hurt.  Harry now knew that Kreacher and Severus used their anti-social behaviour and in Severus case he sarcastic wit to drive human contact away.   So Harry was scared that Severus would use the same behaviour defences when his very large extended family were introduced to Severus.

 

Harry had been surprised at how different his friendship with Severus was, compared to the supposed friendship of his two best mates Ron Weasley wand Hermione Granger in his old time line.   His was also amazed at the structure of the Slytherin house compared to the other Hogwarts houses.

 

It was true that most of his housemates had ignored Severus last year, but that most probably was more due to Severus very defensive and secretive  behaviour.   From the first moment Harry met Lilly Evans, the marauders and Severus on the Hogwarts train, Harry had seen how Severus push all other overtures of friendship and comradeship away.    Severus was proud to be in Slytherin but also upset because of the rivalry perpetrated by the teaching staff at Hogwarts.   To keep Lilly’s friendship Severus had made all the concessions, he sat at the Gryffindor’s table where he was bullied by Lilly’s housemates.   By apparently choosing Lilly and Gryffindor over his house mates, was a sin that the house itself couldn’t condone.  Add the fact that Severus really couldn’t communicate with most people and the situation became a lot worse.  It had taken Harry until the Old Hallows break to start to befriend Severus, and then Lilly Evans the shrew in training had tried to scupper the friendship. 

 

He had overheard their conversation accidently one day when Lilly was admonishing Severus with his changing attitude, he dumbfounded when he heard her whispered voice saying “Severus! You are changing, you are turning dark like the rest of your house.  You think that your supposed friend Harry Brown really likes you.  Sorry to tell you for your own good, Harry using you and you are letting him Severus”

 

There was a mummering back from Severus which Harry couldn’t hear and Lilly had looked shocked and then continued **“How dare you!** **HOW DARE YOU COMPARE THAT LITTLE SHIT TO MY FRIENDS**! **_HE IS USING YOU_**!” with this Lilly started crying, Severus commented again and Lilly responded with “ ** _I HAVE NEVER USED YOU, NEVER SEVERUS! Perhaps you should remember who was your first true friend back home and it wasn’t F….king Harry Brown was it_** ” Severus continued whispering and then Lilly collected her books and stormed out the Library flinging behind her the words **_“WHEN YOU FINALLY WAKE UP AND REALISE WHO YOUR TRUE FRIEND IS, I MIGHT FORGIVE YOU FOR YOUR BEHAVIOUR LATELY TOWARDS ME!”_**

Harry went and sat down beside Severus, Severus looked at him and Harry just confirmed that he had overheard the previous conversation by alluring to it himself “What on earth have you done now! To upset the Dowager Queen of Hogwarts, she looked absolutely furious with you….PLEASE! PLEASE! Tell me your secret….I need the extra income that I can obtain selling the secret to our housemates and other houses of how to get her down from the white, pure unicorn she apparently rode into Hogwarts on….. _please I will split the proceeds with you and we can buy that Star trek novel you wanted with your half of the earnings_ ”   Severus just smiled, packed away his books courtesy of one Harry Brown and signed for him to join him back in their dormitory.    How wonderful it was to grow up in a very unusual mundane family, his mother had learnt for her voluntary work with the St John’s ambulance British Deaf sign language.  She had never used it for them, and only once during her nursing career, but she had ensured that Harry learnt it!  So when Harry had finally befriended Severus, he had taught the language to Severus so they communicate secretively and without their housemates and enemies overhearing or understanding them.  Severus had of course taken it to a whole new ball game and they had both learnt the American Deaf sign language, which was awesome.  American sign language was for the majority one handed, excellent if you wanted to continue your conversation in class, at the table.

 

They entered their room and both collapsed on Harry’s bed, it was the only space in the room that was not covered in Severus mundane and magical books that Harry had managed to get his mother to send him.   It was for Harry a win win scenario, Severus got the books he loved to read, and his mother thought he had finally grown to love reading as much as her.   So since Old Hallows eve feast when his friendship with Severus had started his mother had sent regularly old her old books including her beloved Star trek novella, Dr who, Blake seven and other Science fiction novels and then the mundane classics had appeared, his dad had finally cottoned on and sent some of his old electronic engineering, model railway magazines and books including a few on the different railways and trains he had.    Then add to the already burdening pile the Christian books that  a good family friend had sent them, which meant that other religious books had appeared courtesy of his parents friends as well, his uncle Conrad had sent books regarding how to play poker and chess like the professionals and football and other general sporting books.   Harry had also obtained a whole new set of Hogwarts course books for Severus, he claimed falsely that the marauders had ruined his original set.  The books were delivered by owl post via his Grandmothers post office, and a bill for the books was sent to Dumblegoat for the replacement books!  If there was one that made his mother furious it was bullying and the wilful destruction of books and belongings.

 

Which meant that their room including Severus bed was covered in books, it had gotten so bad that Severus had given up all pretence of sleeping on his bed and just climbed into Harry’s.   It was a very near thing indeed that they even had Harry’s bed to sleep in!  The major paddy he had when he found Severus had placed for safe keeping more books on their bed had managed to get his point across.  The rooms walls was covered curtsey of his mother again! In mundane posters and artwork, there were old Star Trek film poster, book posters.   They had painted a mural of a sunrise with the consolations on their walls and ceiling, and stacked in one corner was the mundane camping stove, pans, utensils, kettle, bowels and plates with the enough tinned food and mundane soft drinks to last them for the next twenty tears.  There was also a  big remote controlled Darlek and K9 had made a permeant appearance in their room alongside his old star wars and star trek figures and space ships.  Dr Who, Crystal palace, Manchester united and Watford football posters adjourned the room with the suns football manager league game pull-out providing pride of place.  With their different teams entered, Harry was winning at the present time in the game.    Even though every considerable space appeared full and overflowing the room contents were not a mess, Severus knew exactly where everything was.  Clothes were kept in their rooms wardrobe neat and tidy, and there was even space at their desks for them to complete their homework.   Merlin knew how on earth he was going to get all the crap back to his parents at the end of the year, at present his only hope was to pack it up and ship back via owl post, option two was  fill up a Hogwarts compartment with the extra luggage he had acquired or ask a senior housemate to shrink it so it might fit into his trunk for the journey home.  Of course it wasn’t only the books etc. his mother sent, oh no she had initially  sent three extra thick Emperor size highest tog Duvets to ensure her son didn’t get cold at night.  Now Harry was do a roaring trade in selling cheap Tesco King-size duvets to their housemates,  he got his Uncle Conrad to send them to him,  and they split the profit from the sales between themselves.  Oh it was very quaint to have second had flea bitten blankets and bed coverings, but the beds even with all the extra coverings that students could obtain you were still freezing at night and the weight of the blankets kept you pinned to the mattress.  But with the modern mundane duvet they were light and you was as warm as toast, even when the old Dumblegoat ensured that the dormitories fires were extinguished at midnight.

 

Severus sighed and then answered Harry’s question back in the Library “Lilly has demanded that I end our friendship, apparently you are taking me away from her and leading me down the dark path that most Slytherin’s are on!  It all came to a head when I told her to grow up, and that I can have more than one best friend”  Harry then noticed that Severus was trying not to cry in front of him, Severus hic cupped and then looked at a poster of the Tardis and all the Dr Who book covers there had been published till 1988,celebrating the 25th year of Dr Who and continued “She stormed off when I answer her question about who my first real friend was, I don’t think she appreciated my answer”  Harry looked at Severus, surely Lilly his mother had been Severus only true friend back in their home town.  After all that was what everybody that had known the pair well had informed him back in his old timeline.  Severus laughed sadly and finished the conversation “It wasn’t Lilly who was my best friend but her sister Petunia….we met in a park, and I showed Petunia all the different flowers and plants, even told her the history of our town…we got on really well and then Lilly magic manifested itself and we were in the same class at junior school, and Lilly became my best friend and slowly pushed Petunia out…..I always wanted siblings, until I saw Petunia and Lilly…….poor Petunia always overlooked for the perfect and intelligent Lilly,  heard their ma say one day to their da ‘that it was a shame that Petunia never got Lilly’s smarts…..but that at least Petunia would be able to always get a job in Fine Fare or if she was really lucky in a small office’”  Severus then looked at Harry and sighed “There’s a lot of pressure on Lilly to do well….her parents expect her to obtain the magic equivalent of a mundane Dr of philosophy in some subject, or at the very least marry  very well…..Petunia is jealous of Lilly, and I can understand why, but at least she has never had to live up to her their parents unreasonable expectations”  Harry lay next to Severus, wishing that they were brothers and realising that the simple story that he had been told regarding his mother and her sister was a lot more complicated then he was told.  He just hoped that this time round Petunia might have the strength to follow her dreams and more than eclipse her sister Lilly Evans, and not become the stuck up magical hating bitch she had become in his old timeline “I don’t think Lilly will be by friend for as long as we are friends Harry! And surprisingly I find that very liberating!”  Of course Lilly made up with Severus, after all who else was there she could get to do her home work for her and ensure that she passed her theoretical course work!

 

 

 

This friendship Harry had with Severus was mutual in nature he realised, both gave something different and important to the friendship.  Harry was protective towards Severus, and admittedly got them into some pretty percaloiuos situations at Hogwarts the last year.  He was the joker of the duo, finding fun and mayhem in small stupid things and retaliating against the marauders and others for Severus.   Severus had never asked for Harry to do this, and he showed his gratitude to Harry by completing small inconsequential things.  There was the time that Flitwick had punished Harry for hexing the marauders.   Harry had been assigned a detention with Flitch for the weekend, everybody had realised that Severus had managed to beat the marauders  with the ratio of 3:1, very impressive when you realised just how far magically inferior Severus was compared to the marauders.  But Harry had taken the punishment for Severus, after all he was one of the teachers pets even though he was a Snake, the professors snobbishly liked Harry because of his magical power and ease with which he could control the gift.  Professor Flitwick would have punished Severus by giving him at least a  weeks long detention with Flitch because he was classed as a cracker  and a Snake!  When Harry had returned to their dormitory that night he found his potions homework almost completed for him by Severus, Severus had left him copies of the different potion texts and his notes in which Harry could complete his homework.  During the year Severus would ‘try to teach his dunderhead bro, the theories behind the magical subjects they were being taught.  Severus had the utmost patience and respect for Harry and it showed when he helped him.  The only time that Severus became angry was when other students pranked or messed about it potions.  Severus had made Harry take a unbreakable vow that he would never ever mess around, hex or prank in the potions class.  Harry had agreed not really understanding Severus attitude until the mundane student that was blinded by the marauders in one of their potions classes.  The scary aspect was that Harry knew the ingredient lobbed into the girls cauldron had been meant for Severus, if  Severus hadn’t insisted on Harry shielding their work stands the Black mutts would have missed Severus cauldron and the ingredient would have landed in Harry’s, ensuring he would have gone permentanly blind from the prank.  After that class Harry also shielded their work stations and never messed around in the class.

 

By contrast Ron Weasley was a jealous prat who stopped Harry from legitimately reaching his full potential in his old time line.  The pranks that Harry and his house had been involved in, had been cruel and sometimes inhumane.   Yes it was fun to see the Weasley twins pranking other students, but Harry now realised that most of the pranks they carried out had been thinly disguised bullying.  How could it have been any different when most of their pranks had been based on previous Gryffindor’s pranks including the marauders. 

 

Hermione Granger whilst a lot more magical powerful then Severus, and just above average students intelligence Harry now realised.  Preached at other students and especially Harry when she helped them with their course and home work.  Hermione never explained or helped people, and Harry could testify this was true.  Numerous times when Harry had asked Hermione for help, she just rolled her eyes and belittled him and the other students she was helping.  Harry now wondered whether Hermione had been such a bad tutor because she needed to keep others below her ranking in their school work or if she didn’t actually really understand the subjects herself.  You can read from books and quote verbatim, but it didn’t mean that you understood the subject, he now realised.

 

The rest of his supposed light side friends had used him as well, whether it was his fame that they used.  Stole from him and his family’s Gringotts vaults, used Potter artefacts that they had no right to.  Or just plainly used his money to get him Birthday presents and other gifts, just like  Hagrid’s present of his  owl from him.  It seemed that everybody expected Harry to pay for their friendship in money, gifts, or in kind.  Severus was the first friend that never expected anything on his companionship in the Snake house, in fact Harry felt that Severus had put a lot more into their friendship then he had. 

 

The car had stopped and Harry was bolting from the back seat of the car with Jordan, when  his Uncle managed to stop him.  Harry was informed that Jordan and himself were not going to run aimlessly through the hotel looking for his parents and Severus, they could just wait for the rest of the family and compose themselves like well brought up mannered children would, and not comport themselves like the monkeys in the Woburn safari monkey enclosure.

 

With very little patience Harry waited for his Uncle and Aunt to guide them through the Hotel and into the foyer, where grandpa Rob was waiting for them, Rob raised his eyebrows at Conrad and before Rob could say anything Conrad answered the unspoken question for him “It’s alright Rob! Harry and Jordan just want and need to ensure that Severus is alright, can you take them to the hotel room for us while we finish unloading the car and checking in to the hotel?”  Rob nodded his head, and led two very impatient children to Harry’s and Severus hotel room.

 

Jordan Harry’s cousin had so many questions that she had wanted to ask Harry in the car, but had sense that it would be better to wait to satisfy her curiosity when they all arrived at the resort.  From what she had gleaned from the earlier conversation and Harry’s demeaner, Severus and Harry had become very close over their first year at Hogwarts.  And by the way Harry had tried not to cry in the car during the rest of the journey she had realised that Harry was very worried about the injuries that Severus must have received from his abusive parents.     Harry had been worried about his friend ever since he had come home for the summer vacation, and the worry had increased when his friend hadn’t replied to his letters or parties invitation. 

 

It seemed to take for ever to Harry for the group of three to make it to the hotel room, Rob gently knocked at the rooms door and it was opened gently by his mother who put a finger to her mouth.  Harry crept into the ginormous room and saw that his father was asleep on one of the beds and Severus was happily explaining something to Grandpa Brian.  Most of Harrys fears faded away at the sight, Severus appeared to be settled and calm.  Harry walked softly over to Severus and quickly hugged him when Severus turn to Harry, Harry just commented with a grin “Hi Bro, meet Jordan one of our very annoying cousins…..she eats all the chocolates and gets everybody into trouble!”

Jordan let a huff and snarked back “NO YOU GET US INTO TROUBLE…..I AM THE GOOD LOOKING, INTELLIGANT ONE WHO HAS SAVED YOUR ARSE MORE TIMES THEM I CARE TO REMEMBER COUSIN”

 

Harry just rolled his eyes and said **_“Whatever”_** Severus looked at the cousins opened mouthed, and then grinned, His Harry was here and was going to be better than his best friend, he would now be his brother.  Jordan looked alright to and not quite like his angel Lilly,  Jordan appeared to be as loud and brash as Harry and he would hate to make her angry at him! 

 

And then an older looking lady strolled into the room, and Severus saw his new ma roll her eyes, as the woman spoke to her, she then turned made a beeline for Severus.    The older woman introduced herself as Nanny Jean and informed the children that she would be helping Severus knew parents look after him,  the woman seemed very scary to Severus and he wanted to initially hide from her, but his brother Harry and Cousin Jordan just rolled their eyes and Harry signed to him quickly that Nanny Jean was safe and he would have to suck up the fact that she was babysitting him now.  It was when Nanny Jean enveloped him in her arms and held him very tight and secure that Severus realised that Nanny Jean smelt of safety and love, a different safety and love than his new parents, brother, cousin and Grand pa’s, but she still smelt of safety.  Severus now fully realised that this was not a great dream he had since Old Hallows eve feast last night, when he learnt about Harrys family.  He was now a part of his own safe and loving family, but the main question he wanted answered was jhow strict was she on eating chocolate.  Would she allow him to have loads of his favourite sweet or would he have to use slytheyn tactics on  her to ensure he got a constant supply of chocolate!

 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Colonel Christopher Riddle nee Brandon was a troubled man, he had made mistakes in his youth and had been bailed out by his brother in law Fitzwilliam Darcy.   He had been forced to bond to the youngest of five daughters a Lydia Weasley, she had been pregnant by Dumbledore who had been a much younger rakish wizard.  The wizard over the years had forged a new more sombre and light based persona.  He was one of only a handful of people who had known what a douche bag Dumbledore had been. 

 

Lydia had eloped with him from Brighton many years ago, nobody in the Weasley family or their acquaintances had ever been told the truth that Albus Dumbledore had turned his wives head all those years ago, he had promised her the world and prestige and left her literally holding the baby.  He had in a moment of conscience and compassion taken the blame for her elopement and subsequent pregnancy.  They had been forced to bond, Darcy had paid off his considerable debts and then ensured that they had an income of 3013.45 galleons a year.  Christopher had sat down after their bonding and really thought about his life, he was what the mundanes’ would class a cad and never do well.  All the considerable advantages he had in life courtesy of Da Fitzwilliam’s Darcy’s father he had squandered because he had been jealous of Darcy, and not appreciative of Darcy’s father considering him a son.

 

Christopher had decided  then to turn his life around and it had been a long and painful process, he had enlisted in the British Mundane army after changing his name by mundane deed poll  from Brandon to Riddle, over the years rising to the rank of Colonel.  After the Army he had invested money into different mundane companies that had paid off for him, he had also started to breed horses for the mundanes as well as the magical community, in fact he loved the vibrant mundanes and their ideas and ambition.  So now he was a very wealthy mundane man, but a financially poor wizard all his wealth had come from his mundane life and career.  But now he had to ensure that his mundane wealth was not squandered by his second eldest son, and that his daughters were well provided for.

 

He given his eldest son Thomas Riddle his mundane name, when the boy had graduated from Hogwarts school.  He had also given him 51,300 galleons and a flat he purchase for him to ensure he had enough money to start his future life on.  Tom had been angry and had initially refused the money, stating that Christopher had done more than enough to provide for him, but in the end had relented only after being promised that his father would not leave him any monetary or other assets from his estate when Christopher died.  Of course Christopher had realised that one young revolutionary  Lord Voldemort was indeed his son.  Christopher had worried about son, especially when he was a lot younger, a lot more volatile, angry and wanting to oust the totalitarian control that Dumbledore had over the established wizarding society and light side.

 

Of course Tom still wanted to change and overthrow the established regime, but he had become a lot more calmer with his followers and a lot more patient.  Tom had at the beginning of his career to overthrow Dumbledore and the light fraction, eschewed mundane society.  He had marked his followers to allow them to keep in contact with him and each other,  but over the years Tom had become as infatuated with mundane society as Christopher had all those years ago.  Tom and his political group of supporters now used mundane technological means of contact.  Tom had also ensured that he got the covert support of the British mundane government and the very old magical families support including of course the Black family but also the Darzy’s, Matlocks, and even the magical commerce sector.  Dumbledore could plan and think he was in control of the British wizarding world,  but he would find out that the power and prestige he thought he had was being slowly eaten away by Toms unofficial backers the British mundane government.  Dumbledore may want and plan for a Great British wizarding war, but there was no way the mundane government would allow the members of a group to launch open civil war on British soil.  The mundane had enough problems with other threats to their homeland security without a major wizarding war as well.  Toms plans now were to assist the mundane British government to integrate the two British societies under Dumbledore’s and his supporters nose.

 

But the problem that Christopher had was that British magical society was still stuck in the Regency era, all a deceased man’s wealth was passed onto a male heir.  The daughters and widow were at the mercy of the families heir.  The problem Christopher had, was that Tom had refused to become the Heir Lord Weasley, making his much younger brother Articus the heir and he just couldn’t take the chance that his Articus would do his duty.  He knew in his heart that Articus would leave his beloved daughters at the mercy of the elements.  Articus was as mean spirited and selfish as he had been in his youth.  The only thought that had kept Christopher sane from worrying at night was that he knew Tom would take in his mother and siblings without question.  But he also never wanted his wealth and estate to pay for his sons idol Dumbledore’s plans, so Christopher had kept the mundane estate very separate from the wizard estate the Weasley’s.  The Weasley Lordship had come down though his wife’s line, it had no money attached to it except the 3013.45 galleons a year paid to them over the years.   Christopher had managed to save around 100,000 galleons throughout the years, and it was this amount of money that he would leave to his eldest son when he died, to his wastrel, deceitful and foolish son Articus he would leave the Weasley Lordship and the Burrow in St Catchpole and nothing else.

 

The mundane estate would be left to his eldest daughter with the stipulation that she ensured her youngest sister and mother were looked after and that Articus never received a penny from the estate. 

 

His father had been the squire for the Darcy’s estate, and Darcy’s father had taken a shine to Christopher ensuring that he had almost the same advantages as his real son.  How did Christopher repay the old man back, by resenting and trying to take everything that Fitzwilliam wanted from him.  Well he had been running away from his debts and problems, and acquired a fish wife as the mudane’s would say, but out of the union had come his eight children, his eldest son Tom who he was inordinately proud of, the first four daughters had been still born or Lydia had miscarriage, and then a miracle had happened and his son Articus had been born, followed by their last two  beautiful daughters.   The Lords of fate had surely had the last laugh.  Articus  had both his parents faults. From him he had inherited his laziness and never wanting to work for his future, nobody liked hard work, but Articus had taken it to a new level.  From his mother he inherited his stupidity, and easily led nature.    And Articus had fallen under the spell of one Albus Dumbledore, who lead Articus spec tactically off the rails, his wife had nagged until he gave in and sent Articus to Hogwarts, his daughters he had ensured attended the Durmstang Institute where they excelled, opposed to Articus dismal performance.  And now his best friend Lord Charlus Potter wanted him to draw up a bonding agreement between his eldest daughter and his son James, so that Christopher would ensure that James was guided by him or his extended family when he died.

 

Christopher was sensitive to his friends plight, but there was no way he was going to bond either of his angels to a young man like James Potter.    He knew from his career in the army and his mundane friends and acquaintances, that a man’s character was determined not by how he sucked up to his supposed betters and elders, but how he treated his subordinates.  And James if it was possible had a worse character and deposition then his son, the boy was a lazy, bullying little toe rag, who treated his subordinates like rubbish.  Christopher knew that once his eldest daughter was bonded to Heir Lord Potter than her life would be hell on earth, and no way was he going to allow her future husband to demean and bully her, or allow Dumbledore to have any influence on her life.

 

Christopher now had to find another magical child that was at least a half blood very quickly  to complete a initial bonding agreement with.  But none of the old dark supporting families would allow their sons to bond to a wizarding family that had little concrete wealth.  Oh it would be different if they knew or understood how very rich the Brandon mundane estate was, but nobody in magical society would know until he was dead and buried hopefully.   Christopher knew that time was literally running out, he was very ill with a heart condition, and it was only a matter of time before he passed the veil, and the only entry on his bucket list was ensuring the safety of his daughter and wife, so he had to find his daughter a husband and fast!


	4. The end of a perfect life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry's family has to adjust to two new children, that have sadly lost their parents unexpectedly. Why does Bella Black and the rest of Slytherin house seem to want Lilly hurt badly?

Amelia, Conrad’s youngest sister in law, smiled when she saw Muriel almost running into Costa in Enfield looking for her table.  She spied it and made her way over and sat down and was just about to take a bite out of the triple iced lemon drizzle cake in front of her. when Severus ran in behind her  claiming accusingly loud enough for the whole of the restaurant to hear “DO YOU WANT TO DIE!  BECAUSE IF YOU EAT THAT CAKE YOU WILL”  Muriel looked up guiltily and passed the cake back to Amelia with a sigh.  Severus came and sat at the table and continued “YOU’RE A DIABETIC and you know what you can and can’t eat! You promised me that you would not eat the wrong foods.  The books say that if you eat the wrong foods then they will kill you”   

 

“No love! I had just brought the cake for Aunt Amelia honest. Why don’t you go and find daddy and the rest of the family” with that Severus appeared modified started to walk away, returned to the table and snatched the cake and proceeded to eat it as he left the restaurant.  Muriel sighed and stated “I will slowly and painfully kill my husband!” Amelia looked at Muriel and her eyes asked the question of why, Muriel supplied the information “Dave just ever so casually mentioned to Severus around a week after he came to live with us that I am diabetic.   Severus being curious researched the topic…ergo….if I eat the wrong foods even once I will die”  Amelia couldn’t help herself, she burst out laughing at the statement, Muriel just looked disgusted and continued “It’s not funny, having a shot of heroin is easier than me getting my hands on a Mars bar……Severus with his learning disabilities… almost believes everything he reads literally…so when he read and I quote that diabetes kills if it is not controlled properly he became worried…then he read the books I got when I was first diagnosed and found out that with the correct diet and exercise then I can control the diabetes, therefore if I exercise and follow strictly to the letter the blasted diet I will live……and he makes sure I follow very closely to the diet!”  Amelia just nodded agreeing with her sister in all but name, but still laughing at the very clever manipulation of Severus by David regarding Muriel’s health.

 

Normally Muriel would be working in the Enfield post office today which Amelia managed for her mother  Rosemary who owned and run two Post Offices.   For three days a week Muriel worked for them,  Muriel although retired early from the local hospital she had worked for, needed a part time job to help her relax from looking after Severus, which now included Nanny Jean and Grandpa Brian becoming a major fixture of  her household.  The elderly couple were had been a God send for the Browns.  Brian and Jean did the majority of the Severus minding now, almost seven days a week would find the trio of Severus and his beloved nan and Gramps getting into mischief on a daily occurrence. 

 

Muriel also needed the extra money the post office job gave her to supplement her works pension, and she loved interacting with their customers!  It wasn’t till Muriel had joined the post office staff that they had become part of the community literally, Muriel had a knack for befriending and finding out customers lives.  Some days the conversations they now had with their customers would make excellent plots for the British TV soaps. 

 

To be fair Amelia had always got on better with Muriel, then either of her other two sisters, both Janice and Rosemary were alike.  Rosemary had never been able to have children herself, so all the nephews and nieces that were produced from both sides of the family were loved, spoilt and expected to have ambition to go far in school and the careers they pursued.  Rosemary had concentrated on her career, and was now a PA one of the deputy assistant commissioners of the Met Police.  Janice had worked hard in her career to, but it had taken second place somewhat to her son Vernon Dursley and her husband’s career in the British Army.  But Janice had now become a PA to the CEO of a firm.  

 

Amelia was like Muriel content to drift and let life sweep her along, she and Muriel worked hard and loved their families and partners.  But Muriel even though she had qualified as a nurse years ago, after obtaining her first degree whilst working for a major computer company and leaving the company start to training as a nurse.  Had after obtaining her first position as a newly qualified staff nurse drifted along, never really trying to get the promotions she had been after.   So very often three days a weeks at lunchtime Muriel and Amelia would settle down at either the local Starbucks or Costa café and catch up on family business.  Normally today would one of the days Muriel worked for her, but she had taken the day off to send Harry off to Hogwarts for his second year there. 

 

The whole family had congregated on the platform to see Harry off on the train, except for Amelia who had to reluctantly be managing the post office.  The family were meeting her  here to update her on what had happened on the platform, and if Severus had any meltdowns regarding not being allowed to attend Hogwarts this year.

 

It had been a summer literally of firsts this year for the family, three teenage children had been added and integrated into the extended family, the first one had been Severus who with his special needs had posed a problem when the Browns had suddenly found themselves the guardians of two teenage sisters from David’s side of the family.  The girls twelve and thirteen had found themselves orphaned tragically when their parents had been involved in a fatal car crash just outside their home town of Cokeworth.

 

David and his younger brother were the only remaining family that the girls had, a family meeting had been quickly convened and although David’s brother had now moved into the Browns new house, it had been agreed that the girls should be adopted by Conrad and Rosemary.   It made very real little difference they had thought who the girls lived with.  And the fact that Conrad and Rosemary were childless had been seen as a solution to the problem.   Severus would always need a lot of care and attention now and for the remainder of his life.   Harry, with Vernon, Jordan and Mona with the rest of the children in the family had already and accepted realised this, Severus could and did have major meltdowns over the smallest things imaginable.    

 

The first meltdown for the Brown family with their son Severus came the Saturday of the Blackpool weekend holiday,  the introductions of Severus to the extended family had gone remarkably very well.   To try to ensure that Severus was not to over whelmed by too many new and frightening faces, the extended family had ensured that Severus was placed with only with them in the middle of the Hertfordshire county seating section in the resorts large restaurant for the weekend and especially the First night.   Nanny Jean sat with Severus the whole time and ensured that nobody else came near Severus to ensure that he felt safe and would at least try to eat, and that his dinner consisted of a balance meal and not just chocolate pudding!  Soon after dinner Severus was safely tucked up in bed and Nanny Jean and Grandpa Brian was babysitting him in her chalet where she was staying with Harry and Jordan.

 

The sleeping arrangements had undergone a major review by Nanny Jean and had been rearranged to her satisfaction after intense discussion within the family.  Harry, Jordan, Jordan’s sister Mona, Vernon and Severus  were staying with her in one of the chalets,  Jordan parents had been kicked out to the boys hotel room.   Nanny Jean had stated quite firmly that the boy’s parents needed some space and much needed rest after the intense week they had with Severus at the hospital.  Severus couldn’t be left alone at present, and she felt that staying in the deluxe disabled chalet with Grandpa Brian and the children would be the answer, everybody would have their own room and the chalet  was sited at the back of the resort in a quiet and secluded spot.  Giving Severus the illusion of quiet and privacy.  Nanny Jean or Brian could ensure that Severus was settled down for the night in the same bedroom as Brian, the girls would share a room and Harry and  Vernon would share and Jean had the last rooms. 

 

So that Friday evening saw Severus settled in his room, and Jean and Brain playing cards quietly in the main large bedroom that the girls were sharing.  Waiting for the rest of the children to be dropped off at the chalet by somebody in their group when the evening’s entertainment was finished that night.

 

Severus woke up at his usual time Saturday morning, which turned out to be six in the morning.  He had quickly got ready and Brian took him for a walk along the beach’s promenade to kill some time before everybody started to make their way the hotel’s restaurant where the morning breakfast service would be started.   It was quite a nice day and Severus was entranced by the trams that run by the promenade, and the decorations that hung along the promenade, the innocence that Severus showed at all the new and wonderus things he saw made Brian happy for the child, but all so very angry and sad that anybody could abuse an innocent child as badly as Severus had been by his parents. 

 

Harry last evening had told everybody how intelligent and independent Severus had been at Hogwarts, it was after dinner and the extended family had been sitting around discussing Severus and his problems.  A family friend had befriended Severus and with the assistance of Jordan, Mona and Vernon with nanny Jean had taken Severus to see a film that the resort was showing that evening, allowing the family to discuss how to help Severus lead as normal life as possible.  

 

Although the severe brain injury that Severus had suffered had obviously caused life changing and deliberating problems, he now had major cognitive, behavioural and physical difficulties.  The physical difficulties had been compounded by the physical abuse that he suffered through his short life.

 

But it also appeared after very careful and subtle questioning of Harry that Severus appeared to have major problems at Hogwarts last year before he sustained these latest injuries.  Severus according to Harry had been very intelligent for a child his age but he had  trouble interacting and communicating with people, especially his peers.    Harry had explained how Severus appeared to unable to decipher social cues and interaction that people made, he had always had slight balance and walking problems. He had at Hogwarts appeared to become easily fixated by a subject and would become so engrossed that he forgot everything else,   Severus also had a daily routine that he hated to be disrupted. 

 

 But  for all his major problems and difficulties Severus was a sweet child, that would now most probably be dependent on people for the rest of his life.    If Brian wasn’t so frail, he would have taken a hammer to Severus parents himself, ensuring they lived in the misery that they had subjected Severus to.   Brian would gladly except any punishment that the courts sentenced him to, just to pay back the scum that had so physically and mentally damaged their child, Conrad had sat next to Brain after Nanny Jean had taken Severus to bed and the rest of the family had split into three groups, the first group consisting mainly of the women members were watching the resorts entertainment, the second group were playing a group sport and the rest were relaxing at chatting in a quiet area by one of the hotel bars.   Conrad leaned and quietly whispered to him “Don’t tell Dave but don’t worry, I am going to ensure that Severus parents especially his father  are visited by some of my old man’s contacts….who still come into me, to have their hair cut in the shop…..I’ll ensure as much as possible that the scum pay for hurting Severus.   After all if there is one thing most cons hate, it is the abuse of kids!”  Brian nodded in agreement with Conrad, glad that Severus parents would be paid back in some small way for the treatment of him.  Conrad’s and Muriel’s father had been a barber, and had ended up before his early death owning his own shop and business.  Conrad had followed his father and best friend into the hairdressing trade.  Conrad’s father over the years had managed to accumulate a wide social range of customers, from the poorest to the richest customers.  To the law abiding to the unlawful citizens in society, Conrad had inherited his father’s talent for making and keeping friends, and most of his father’s personal customers had stayed and some had become personal friends with Conrad and the family, when his father had retired from the business shortly before his death.    It was obviously one of the career criminals that Conrad knew, who would be approached to do a small favour for Conrad and his family.  Hopefully the lesson that Severus parents would be taught  by Conrad’s friend would be very long lasting and painful for them.   

 

But the meltdown that morning had been due to Severus hair, something had to be done with it.  It was obvious that Severus had never looked after it, and the morning before breakfast he wouldn’t let anybody including Muriel brush his hair.   So it had been reluctantly decided that Severus needed a haircut badly.  Conrad had offered to cut Severus hair, like he did with the rest of male members of the family.  But Nanny Jean had vehemently vetoed that idea, and Severus had been taken to a barbers in Blackpool City centre.   Severus had kicked off as Harry would describe the confrontation in the barbers shop, he had screamed and fought like a wild tiger against sitting in the barber’s chair.  Luckily a biker customer had helped them, and had held Severus firmly while the poor barber washed and cut his hair very short.  Not once did the biker complain when Severus kicked and hit out at him, it was worth every penny that Muriel had paid the poor barber and biker for helping with Severus.  Severus looked a totally different child with clean, short and neat hair.    The morning did not improve when they went clothes shopping for Severus, it was when Muriel was nearly crying in frustration after Severus refused to even try wearing the clothes Muriel and Jean picked out for him.  That Muriel realised that it wasn’t that Severus cared particularly  about the clothes style or colour, Severus just couldn’t cope with wearing certain textured clothes next to his skin, and he hated the feel of brand new clothes as well.   So a quick phone call back to the resort and Conrad was dispatched to exchange Severus for Nan Rosemary younger sister sons Aiden, he was roughly the same size as Severus, so it had been agreed that Aiden would be getting new clothes in exchange for Severus having his old clothes that he brought that weekend.   

 

Now Muriel always ensured that any new clothes brought for Severus were washed till the newness as Severus named it was gone.   Every day was a potential minefield with Severus,  it helped that Harry, his cousins and circle of friends loved and tried as much as possible to include Severus in the life’s.    The children and the rest of the family were very grateful that Nanny Jean had once found again a child in the family to fuss and look after.   Almost all of Jeans focus and life revolved around Severus, he had replaced for her Harry and cousins role in her life.    Jean loved all the families children, but as the children grew older and more independent she found it hard to let them go and make the mistakes that children are supposed to in their lives.   The more independent the children had become, the more restrained the relationship between them and Jean, the love would always be there between them.  But Jean had found in Severus, somebody who had not only quickly loved and idolised her, but would normally follow Jeans orders or commands to the letter and allow himself to be babied.  If Severus did rebel at times, Jean just rolled her eyes and blamed Severus disabilities and his scummy parents. 

 

Jean could never be bored with Severus, when he explained his theories and ideas to the family members.  It was Jean and Brian that sat patiently with Severus listening and giving him ideas to further his research into the subject he was currently engrossed in.  From potions to physics, Severus included them into his world and to keep up with Severus, both Jean and Brian had taken it upon themselves learn all about the subject that Severus loved.

 

So the Browns knew they were too old to look after an extra two teenagers, so Conrad and Rosemary  had offered.  Where Muriel was in her late fifties and David in his sixties, Conrad and Rosemary were in their early forties and thirties respectively.  Added to the fact they had always wanted children but Rosemary had never been able to, they had all the patience and love needed to raise the two girls.  The family was relieved to find out that the youngest girl was magical and attended Hogwarts with Harry and Severus.  Admittedly they were in different houses, but obviously that was a minor aspect and consideration.  After all everybody knew and understood that family and real friends stuck together and helped each other through life’s tough and rough times.

 

How wrong had the family been!  And everybody in the immediate family circle had breathed a large sigh of relief when Harry and the youngest girl had got on the Hogwarts express that morning.    It had become quickly apparent that for all Severus disabilities and learning difficulties, he was an angel compared the devil incarnate that the youngest girl was.   For the first time in the family’s history that anybody could recall, Nanny Jean had refused to look after the girl the one time that Rosemary had reluctantly asked her to, and nobody blamed her!  That day had ended up with Muriel reluctantly taking the girl with her on two day outing that her and her old work colleagues went on every year in London.  Never again vowed Muriel would she look after the teenager, the girl acted out the whole time they were in London and Muriel had never been so ashamed in her life. 

 

So while the two sisters waited for the rest of the family, Muriel told her what had transpired on Platform 9 that morning. 

 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Lilly was livid and so happy that her life could now continue as it should till the Christmas holidays when she would have to slum it with her new guardians and family.   She met her friends Alice, Mary,  Victoria, Grace and Florence in the train compartment that one of them had reserved.  All the girls shared the same dormitory, and they all knew they were the part of the elite of Hogwarts.   They passed the train journey catching up on each other’s news since the  start of the holiday.  All to soon it seemed that they were watching the first years being sorted into the four houses.

 

Lilly happened to look over towards the Slytherin house when Sirius Black brother sat down at the table after being newly sorted into the house.  She glanced at the Sirius three cousins the Black sisters, and saw Bella (the mad one) make a cutting motion across her throat at Lilly, she lost her colour when she realised that the rest of the house were nodding in agreement to Bella actions.  She knew then that the Slytherin house had been informed of her behaviour the previous evening.   It was totally not fair that her perfect life had been flipped on end, since her parents death at the start of the holidays she had gone from being the favoured and perfect child of her family, to being the problem child.  Her sister Petunia the horse face mundane cow now had the privilege of being miss perfect.  Her parents had never used corporal punishment on her, always believing her side of events against Petunia.  Well last evening one of her supposed new aunts had applied a wooden clothes brush to her bare behind, and that hadn’t been the end of the matter.  Her new guardian had put her on restriction for the next two weeks, and had sent her head of house a letter to that effect.   It galled her to think that she had been punished for doing nothing wrong, what they called bullying by her was just putting the little retarded shit in his place, and ensuring that he realised that she was now top dog and he was an inconsequential piece of dirt like her sister.

 

The feast was drawing to a close  when Albus Dumbledore rose to address the school, he welcomed everybody back and the new students.  The boring school notices regarding the forbidden forest etc were yet again alluded to (but everybody knew that Gryffindor never have to abide by them, after all Dumbledore always batted for them) the new head boy and girl were introduced, they were of course the king and queen of the Lion’s den. 

 

 

The school sung the stupid school song and they were all dismissed to their dormitories, where Lilly could once again reign supreme, she hoped that Harry Brown stayed as far away as possible this school year, after all it would not bode well if her house mates found out that she was related however tenuously to a snake.  It also seemed that Harry, had managed to get Slytherin on her case regarding the incident that happened last evening, she wasn’t sorry for her actions.  After all the little shit needed to know exactly where he place was in regards her, she was and would for ever be the top dog and he would be as far below her on the human evolution scale as he could be.

 

Lying in her dormitory bed that first night back, Lilly thought about how unfair her life had become.  She had lost her parents and had to move down south to live with the Borings family.   Lilly had thought that she would continue to be top dog when she moved down south.  Instead she had been ousted by her sister, the cracker retard and the rest of the family misfits.  She knew in her soul that the borings really wanted her instead of the Snivellous cracker, how he had managed to make them believe that he was had severe learning difficulties she couldn’t fathom.  If that was the case, then why had the Borings not ditched Snivellous of at the first retards home and welcomed her with open arms.  She understood that they wouldn’t to look after her sister Petunia, after all she was nothing special like Lilly.

 

She had loved and missed her parents that was true,  but what hurt Lilly the most was that for once in her life her needs were not automatically put first and paramount by the adults looking after her.  All her life her parents had fulfilled her wishes and needs. 

 

The real shock was that Lilly’s perfect life had ended, when her parents had been killed in the car crash that day.  The Borings had informed her and Petunia that they were to move down south to live in a hovel near  one of the first New Towns built after the second world war (believe her once you had seen the new town and the nearest towns, you never wanted to visit the area again).  Petunia would be attending a prestigious specialist school everything paid for the Borings her sister now having the advantages that were hers by right, not her horse faced stupid sister, when Lilly had complained loudly her guardians had informed Lilly that she wasn’t anything special and that her stupid bint of sister should have the same advantages that she was getting.  Namely a good private education, but that was not the worst of it.

Gone would be the fashionable clothes and robes from the best and prestigious shops, no Rosemary had informed her.   One of Mrs. Borings considerable talents was dressmaking, so to cut costs Mrs. Boring would be making Lilly her robes from now on.  The robes would be better quality and the price of them would be considerably cheaper than the apparently inferior robes that Madame Malkin made.  Her and Petunia’s muggle clothes would be coming from high street shops such as M&S, Tesco and Debenhams from now on. Rosemary assured her she would never notice the difference (yeh! thought Lilly, Rosemary definition of fashionable was the fifties, not now, and high street chain clothing just were not the same at all), there would be other little savings, cheaper parchment and quills etc., good quality second hand books, as her course books were at least ten times more expensive than Petunias school books would be, everything thought Lilly that made her top of the heap and one of the popular girls at school.  When Lily had complained about the unfairness of Petunia getting (she didn’t put it that way of course) what she deserved and needed, Their guardians would be buying Petunias clothes and school books as well as Lilies, and in order to afford the two set of school fees for the girls, then small sacrifices would have to be made by everybody.  Her answer to that statement had been met with her first unfair punishment by her new guardians when Lilly explained to them “That if they had taken in Snivellous and her sister, then she could live with the Borings and have the same lifestyle that she had in Cokeworth and that she deserved and was accustomed to said lifestyle” To say her new guardians had gone ballistic was an understatement, she had spent the next two weeks grounded and under the watchful eye of the old crone Nanny Jean.   And then Lilly had realized it was official, Mrs. Boring and her family hated her and would do everything to ensure her life at Hogwarts was hell.

So to summarize thought Lilly, she was going to live with the Borings brother and wife in their perfect four bedroomed cottage in a little town village just outside Biggleswade, there was absolutely no entertainment in the village for children her age. Her her sister got to have the life now that she deserved, and she had to live with the unfairness of second hand books and homemade robes, high street off the rail clothes. Yep her life was going to be hell thought Lilly unless she managed to turn things around so she was on top of the heap again.

 

Lilly would always remember the day that her life had been changed for ever.  The day her parents had gone to help an elderly church friend in the next village, the police car that pulled up outside their house and the waiting with Petunia a woman police officer for her father’s cousin and wife to travel up North from the Hertfordshire. 

 

In a matter of hours, her parents had been killed in a fatal car accident.  It was well after midnight when their new guardians  David and Rosemary Brown had arrived at their house   (Mr and Mrs boring, I’ve got everything though hard work couple).

 

For the next few days were a haze,  Lilly and Petunia attended her parents cremations and wake, both of them numb and adrift without the support of their parents.    The house was quickly packed up and the furniture put into storage, much to the girls surprise the Browns did not sell the house quickly, but put it with a letting agency to rent out for the girls.  The insurance money would pay the houses mortgage, so any profit from renting the house out would be put into an account to go towards the girls future.

 

Bright and early the day after the house keys had been given to the letting firm and the contracts signed, saw Lilly, Petunia and the rest of her  father’s relatives set off for their home down in Hertfordshire, from the premier inn that they had been staying in.

 

Mrs Boring brother had taken the girls belongings etc in the van he had hired, and with her uncle they had left late last evening to make the journey back down south, so he return to work this morning.  How boring could you get thought Lilly, sitting in the back of a old ford Mondeo with her horse faced sister Petunia, they had quickly finished the small talk, and the four hours it took them to get her home were tortuous, oh no they couldn’t stop for breakfast at McDonald, it had to be a pokey Little Chef.

Rosemary just wanted the journey to end, next time  she vowed Lilly would be informed before the trip of how she was expected to behave! Or she would be the passenger in Conrad’s vehicle, and Dave’s brother could endure this hell.  She had tried to make massive allowances to the girls behavior, especially since the girls had both lost their parents.  But she could not stand another road trip like this, an angry silence except for the music prevailed in the car, Petunia had been no bother at all, but Lilly had pushed her luck with her husband, and when she whined once to many times, he pulled over in a layby on the A14 link road, and told her if she didn’t shut the f…k up, then she’d be walking the rest of the way to too Hertfordshire, because he for one was not going to put up with crap attitude any longer.

 

For the rest of the journey home, all could be heard was the radio and her husband muttering under his breath, “That he had enough of putting up with the little bitches crap for the last  two weeks.  She may have lost her parents, but that didn’t mean that you forgot the common courtesy’s and manners of life and thank God that Conrad and Rosemary would be looking after her.   Severus with his major problems, or Vera’s devil spawn kids were saints compared to Lilly”

 

So after that very unusual outburst from her husband (thirty years of marriage, and she could count the number of times he had used to word bloody on one hand, and never anything else) the journey was completed in silence, and thank God, she thought, at long last we have arrived at our house, and just as they pulled up into the drive way the door opened to reveal Severus with Jean who had obviously been looking out for them.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

They had all left Cokeworth for the last time bright and early one morning, Lilly never understood why they had to leave so early, to make it down south that day.  It not as if the retard wasn’t being well looked after by the rest of family boring after all, really it was inconsiderate to put anybody’s needs before her own wants and desires.

Well they had made back to the Borings new house, where she met the retard and the slimly snake, who had of course already managed to put the boot in regarding her to family Boring!

 

Then the next day, which was a Sunday, the whole family had congregated to ‘officially welcome them into the family’, well she was looking forward to ensuring that Snivellous the retard was firmly put in  his place now she was here.   Imagine her bloody horror when they had been informed that Petunia and herself were being farmed out to Mrs Boring brother and wife, one Conrad and Rosemary.  Petunia had of course excepted the news gratefully and well she should, after all she was after all like her parents had always said a ugly stupid bint, who would be lucky to land a job in Fine Fare or marry.  She on the other hand, deserved the best in life, her parents had always managed to ensure that she knew how talented, beautiful, intelligent, and mature she was!  So to be told that she had to live with Conrad and his wife in a small four bedroom cottage whilst Snivellous lived in the borings  mansion, with his every need being taken care of was unfair and unjust to her. 

But secretly Mrs boring thought no matter what the little talk or punishment, Lilly would always be a ‘mean girl’ as they were called now a days. No although she didn’t believe in corporal punishment for children but in Lilly’s case the saying ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’ could have been made for her, she had never had to face up to her actions or disciplined for breaking the rules, her parents had allowed her to get away with almost everything, even going so far at times to blame Petunia for any trouble Lilly got into. Well Mrs Boring thought it’s too late to start to try to rectify that now, no Lilly and her outlook on life would never change, she was a nasty, manipulative piece of work, and she would continue to be, thank god the two sons they had weren’t  like Lilly.  


	5. Electrics and magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lilly has to get a new wand, and Severus family is growing. Will Severus aunty Amelia make a unbreakable vow that he wants her to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note there is corporal punishment of LIlly, and I apologise for the length of the chapter. Once the wand crafter started talking he wouldn't shut up.......hence the length of the chapter!

Amelia just looked at Muriel who sighed again and looked longingly at the cake in front of her, Amelia was just about to give her sister the cake, when Severus appeared with the rest of the family that had decided meet Amelia in Enfield after seeing the two children off on the Hogwarts Express that morning the group included David, Grandpa Brian, Mikes Old woman and of course the idolised Nanny Jean. They came an sat at one of the big tables towards the back of restaurant. With a smirk that would have rivalled Harry’s potion master in his original timeline, Dave asked what everybody wanted, the order for drinks and cakes was given and he turned to Muriel and sweetly asked “Anything else Muriel?” Muriel looked lovingly at the lemon tarts and was just about to ask him to buy one for her when she saw Severus face, the look of absolute terror and hurt that he had when her husband had suggested the treat made her forgo the longed for treat! Dave went to the counter with Jean to order the family’s requests.

Severus turned to Amelia and said with a solemnness that almost had her falling off the chair with laughter, but she managed to keep a very straight face because she sense that for Severus that what he was to ask was for him very important and not something that he would consider funny “Aunty Amelia WILL MAKE AN UNBREAKABLE VOW NOT TO GIVE MA THE WRONG FOODS, WON’T YOU!” Muriel just sighed and head hit the table in frustration and defeat. 

Amelia replied to Severus question very solemnly “Of course Severus darling. But why do I need to make such a vow?” 

Severus looked at his ma with such disgust and worry and continued “Because she cheats and eats the wrong food when I AM NOT THERE…..so Petunia told me about unbreakable vows and that once made you can’t break them ever……So I have asked all the family, Ma and Da friends and the local Tesco’s bakery lady to vow that they will not allow ma to have the wrong foods!” Amelia looked at Severus with amazement and wonder, the child in front of her may not be the most demonstrative child with physical love, but he showed he loved the people close to him in different ways and this was one of those ways. Severus then said with absolute pride in his voice “And they all made tee vow, so ma cannot get the wrong foods that way!” Severus then turned to his ma and said in a voice that was similar to a certain the old potions master voice in Harrys old time “See ma! You was wrong….AUNT AMELIA WILL MAKE THAT VOW” and Amelia found herself making the vow that Severus wanted in front of the family and with a wizard who had joined the family as the bonder. Tom Riddle and his finance came and sat with the Brown family, and when asked ensured that he cast seriously the unbreakable vow that Severus had got his aunt Amelia to agree to. 

Severus had met Tom in uncles shop, after he had endured yet again the weekly torture sessions with the Mike the man who washed and trimmed his hair. It had been consensus of family after Severus spectacular meltdown over his hair cut in Blackpool, that the only way that they ensure Severus hair was kept neat, clean and tidy would be take him to a hairdresser weekly for them to maintain and wash Severus hair. One of the barbers who had worked for the family for at least twenty-five years had volunteered to wash and trim Severus hair at least weekly. The barber everybody admitted had a truly magical touch with even the most disruptive child that came into the shop. In fact in had been Mike who had cut all the family and shops children over the years. Conrad had tried to dissuade the man. After all Mike was a good friend as well as an employee and the with the meltdown that Severus apparently had in Blackpool, he was worried that Mike would be hurt when Severus physically fought him. But Mike had just waved Conrad’s concerns away.

The first week Nanny Jean appeared with Severus in tow just after Mike opened the shop at seven, Severus nearly bolted from the shop after all he remembered the torture of the barbers in Blackpool. All Mike did was sit down and start talking to Jean, and allowed Severus to play with the toys that Mike had accumulated over the years that were his children’s old discarded toys.

The next week Mike introduced himself to Severus and played with him, the third week found Severus talking and playing with the toys in Mikes chair. 

The forth week Mike got Severus to agree for him to just try to wash Severus hair with the promise that if it hurt Severus, then he would stop. By this time the shop was full with the bikers from the biker shop next door, the mechanics from the tyre fitting garage the other side of the shop, and a representative from all the other shops and businesses in the Stevenage High street, including a member from the family funeral directors in the high street. They all wanted to see and know what the outcome would be, when Mike tried to wash Severus hair. Conrad with Jean had his fingers crossed that Mike knew what he was doing that morning, because if poor Mike got it wrong, Severus could draw blood with his meltdowns literally. 

The shop door opened and a twenty five year old young women walked in. Mike greeted his daughter Pearl and introduced her to Severus. Pearl looked at her father and asked “So you want to wash my hair dad, so Severus will see that you won’t hurt him?” Mike agreed, and then his eldest child continued the rehearsed script they had agreed on “Only if you buy me and Severus a drink and cake from Costa across the road afterwards, without our resident audience there” Mike agreed, and his daughter sat down, and Mike spun his barber’s chair around with a theatrical flourish for Severus and his audience, his daughter whooped with glee as the chair spun round and round and an his daughter finally ended up facing the audience. Severus was entranced by the quickly spinning chair, and forgot about the audience in the shop, Severus wanted to spin in the chair like Mikes daughter as it looked cool as his brother and cousins would say! Mike then proceeded to wash his daughters hair as a ladies hairdresser would. 

It had been Pearl who worked part time as a cashier for Tesco’s in Stevenage’s new town centre, who had realised what may cause Severus meltdowns regarding the washing and cutting of his hair, and the solution was simple! Barbers and most people leant over the sink, bath etc. to have their hair washed, the water and soap would run down their faces. She had reasoned that Severus may have learnt over time that if his face was touched it hurt badly, especially if his father had often used Severus head as a punching ball. So Severus would not want anything to come near his face, but if her father washed Severus hair as a women’s hairdresser would, with the back of his head over the sink and the water never coming into contact with his face, then Severus just may allow Mike to wash and trim his hair. The problem was how to show Severus that Mike would never allow water to come into direct contact with his face, and Pearl had volunteered to be the model for Severus demonstration.

 

Severus looked and studied intently how Mike washed Pearls hair, totally ignoring Conrad was relieved to see the rest of the audience. Then when Mike had washed and dried his daughter hair, Severus agreed to allow Mike to wash and dry his hair that morning. Since that week’s breakthrough. Severus had allowed Mike and only Mike to look after his hair, including keeping it neat and tidy. Then Severus found himself the owner of pair of very smart glasses, Mike had noticed that Severus seemed to have problems seeing things in the distance, and one of his customers had tested Severus eyes, and it was found that Severus was very short sighted. In a matter of weeks Severus had undergone a total transformation, he looked and acted like a different child. Conrad with the rest of the family had been so thankful, that Mike and his family had become part of his and Severus extended family. 

In time Mike would come to be another brother, Mike’s family would join and become part of the extended family that encompassed Harry, Severus and their cousins. Mike would over time become almost as close a friend and confident to Conrad as his now departed father had been, with Mikes children becoming his adopted nephews and nieces. 

Conrad had always respected and admired Mike, Mike had been the one who had ensured that the family business had survived and prospered when Conrad’s father had retired and died, in a very short period of time. Throughout his father’s illness Mike ensured that the shop was well run. He managed the other lads in the shop, had collected the lads chair rent and banked it for Conrad and had ensured that the few problems that seemed to plague the business at the time were quickly resolved with as little fuss as possible. Mike had never asked for, or would have excepted any payment from Conrad for looking and running the business during that stressful period. 

The problem that Conrad and the rest of his siblings (acquired or otherwise had was that Mike and Sandra now consisted them as their unofficial family. To be fair Mike and now Sandra had a happy go lucky nature that transferred into parenting style as ‘everything will turn out alright in time’.

In fact their two youngest sons were still in awe and terror of the eldest sister by fifteen and twelve years respectively. Pearl had always helped her mum look after her brothers and her parenting style apparently took after her mothers, when Pearl had been a small child. Her two sons were approachable and loveable lads, but were always into trouble and some sort of mischief it seemed, and since meeting and befriending the rest of the family children. The mischief that Conrad’s nieces and nephews and Petunia found themselves in had grown. The family’s children was now split in to groups, with their own circle of friends. Lilly had been the exception, for some reason she had not tried to integrate herself into the family, hadn’t made any friends as “Her friends were all at Hogwarts, and why would I want to be friends with the Chav Scum” that the rest of her adopted family and sister had befriended. The older children including Harry, Petunia, Jordan, and now James Mikes eldest son hung out with Aunt Denise (Grumps Sandra sister) middle two sons Aiden and Baxter. It didn’t matter to the crowd that Baxter and Aiden family were poor and sometimes had to make do, that after all was life. Harry, James were in the Slytherin house and soon to be second years, there friendship was cemented when Harry found out that it had Been James and his friend James Johnston form Huffle Puff that had pinned Sirius Black against the Womping Tree one day, for terrorising Severus and other kids. To be fair though James was almost as tall and broad as Hagrid, and you had to be bloody stupid to even think of pranking or bullying in front of him. Lilly was of course in the Vulture house and Baxter and James friends sister Rita would be joining them as first years this year. This year as Severus would not be attending Hogwarts, Harry and Jaws (James nick name) would be bunking together. 

Charles was the youngest child and, a non-magical, his intelligence was at Mensa level, he had over the summer holidays befriended Severus, and Severus was now a major element in Charles Star Trekkers gang. The gang included two youngest of Aunts Denise sons, Steve and Walter, also included was Sandra a black girl who was known as Uhura, because she could hear anything within a three mile radius and fought like a boy. Sandra was part of nice conservative evangelical Christian church that her parents were lay ministers for, a person only made the mistake once of insulting Sandra once, the last time a boy had wolf whistled at her in school. Sandra did no more strode up to him gave him her school bag and told him to carry it for her. The creep had replied “Why should I bitch, that is your job!” 

Sandra had looked at him, sighed “You wolf whistled at me as if I am a well-trained dog, and then called me a bitch to my face…..that makes you Winston a DOG…..and as Charles sister states…why have a dog and bark yourself…so you have just talked yourself into being my well behaved dog…NOW CARRY DOG!” after that confrontation and to be fair the couple bloody noses others got for either bullying younger or weaker students, and for implied, actual and maybe insults everybody had learnt to respect Sandra at all times! 

It hadn’t taken long for the rest of the families children and their friends to realize why Pearl was not to be crossed, and to become the woman that Sandra emulated and wanted to be. Her word was law, if she requested your help the children realised, you ask how high she wanted you jump for her. Her weak spot of course was Severus, Severus could do no wrong in her eyes, she never told him off and God help anybody Charles had stated if Severus was hurt by anybody!  
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
Flash back scene. Warning contains corporal punishment of a child!

Before the incident between Lilly and Severus on the eve of the kids going back to Hogwarts this year. Charles had one day rung Conrad begging him to come and separate his sister and Lilly. All Conrad could hear in the background was James trying with reason with someone. Conrad got the address from Charles and raced round to Mikes mothers. 

When he got to the council run warden controlled complex, he saw Charles waiting for him, it quickly transpired that the children’s Nan had taken Severus Petunia and the families two dogs for a long walk with a neighbour “So Severus, didn’t witness Pearl killing Lilly” Charles informed him, with tears and worry lining his face! Conrad just stopped himself from rolling his eyes at Charles obvious dramatics. 

He followed the lad into the bungalow and found Pearl disciplining Lilly in the old woman’s bed room. James was there trying it seemed to stop Pearl using the wooden meter ruler, hardened by their great nans oven on Lilly’s bare bottom. 

Conrad just stood in the doorway opened mouth with Charles stating “She goes ballistic, and usually she only uses her hand to kill us, on our clothed bottom’s…..but this time she dragged Lilly into the bedroom with the ruler. The old woman quickly made a beeline for Old Mrs Love across the way, and she took Petunia and Severus away from the confrontation, after telling us to get you not gran dad or Gran!! Cause even gran dad would kill Lilly this time” 

Conrad persuaded the two boys to catch their nan up and go for a nice long walk with her and the others. When the lads were dispatched Conrad asked the million dollar question, what on earth had Lilly done to deserve such a reaction from Pearl. And Peal furious told him the whole sordid story!

Severus had joined his friends and official family at Mikes council owned house, Lilly had tagged along belligerently behind Severus and Petunia that day. Lilly had tagged along with the children because she had just finished a two week restriction for her unruly behaviour and was now allowed out without very close adult supervision. For once Petunia and James had stayed with the youngers as they put it and not gone off to find and hang out with Harry and the older children.

Pearl had just come in from her part time cashiers job at the Tesco superstore in the centre of Stevenage’s New town. She was tired, cranky and had a migraine. Pearl knew that she was on as she put it a very short leash, so sent the kids to her nans for the afternoon, with Brock their Labrador. Pearl would normally have sent the kids back to nanny Jean and Brian, but they had managed to snag the last two seats on a day trip with the local Methodist keep the aged busy club to Southend upon Sea. 

The boys knowing Pearls migraines and subsequent moods, had high tailed it, to the old woman’s as their great nan was called (to her face as well). Pearl had gone to asleep and woken up later in the afternoon, migraine gone and had on a whim decided it was such a nice day she would join the kids round at the old woman’s.

Pearl had slowly walked round to the old woman’s, stopping at the local fish and chip shop in the local parade of shops, and had gotten everybody a late lunch of fish and chips. She apparently walked into Lilly verbally laying and threating to hex the terrified old woman, who had with the other children managed to stop her from beating ‘Cracker Snivellous’ (lily’s words) for disrespecting and usurping her place as top dog in the family!”

Pearl had tried to defuse the situation and was just going to punish Lilly as she would have with the boys. Pearl was after mindful like the rest of the extended family of the girls circumstances after all. And still managed not to kill Lilly even when Lilly laid verbally into Pearl with “ You fucking no gooder minging ghetto bird, should keep your fucking big ugly honker out of Lilly’s, and her betters business" even after this tirade Pearl just managed to keep her cool and only just managed not to kill Lilly. It was when Pearl restrained herself and took Lilly into the old woman’s bedroom to quietly punish the girl after explaining that her behaviour was unacceptable, when Lilly had gone for her physically. Even then Pearl had showed remarkable restraint and had only started to verbally admonish Lilly. It was when Lilly response to Pearl was “Fuck off ghetto bird, there is no way I am taking orders from Chav Scum like you and your family….living off benefits and making hard working honest people pay for your lifestyle!” and then started to hex Pearl with some nasty painful spells. 

That was when Pearl apparently lost it for good. Pearl had stalked to the small kitchen after breaking Lilly’s wand into pieces, to retrieve the hardened ruler to give Lilly the good hiding that she deserved but had never had, Pearl would “Ensure that for once in her life, Lilly would rue the day she pushed her luck and receive the punishment that she deserved but obviously never had for bullying and being a nasty little bitch!” If there was one thing that Pearl hated and detested she had “It was a child with an attitude and disrespect for others, and having a I am better than you attitude that Lilly had!” And no way was she going allow Lilly to physically and verbally bully and hurt others, especially who she thought as family. But she had this once as stated previously decided to be very lenient in Lilly’s punishment, because of the loss of her beloved parents. It was when Lilly had physically hit Pearl, then started using hexes she had learnt at Hogwarts that Pearl had lost it spectacularly she admitted to Conrad mortified and ashamed of her behaviour. 

When Conrad had managed to access the situation he had walked into, and ensure that the rest of the children had were safely away from the situation. Pearl had admitted to Conrad that she was just going to discipline Pearl with a few swats to her clothed behind and talking to, and that would have been the end of the matter. But Lilly had just pushed all her buttons that day, and Conrad had thought that he personally admired the restraint Pearl had shown Lilly! 

Conrad had just sat there stunned when he was told the story regarding Lilly, he was ashamed and furious with his adopted youngest daughter’s behaviour. How on earth could two children from the same parents have turned out so differently. Conrad had apologised for his daughters behaviour, and ensured that everybody else was alright including poor Severus and Mike’s mother. Before dragging his adopted daughter home to await Rosemary’s return home from work to hold a family’s council meeting to discuss Lilly’s behaviour and punishment. 

Needless to say Lilly’s punishment was harsh, she had just come off being grounded for last little stunt of bullying and envious behaviour. 

Rosemary had been furious when she had come home and found Lilly and Conrad waiting for her, Rosemary arranged for Petunia to stay with their sister Muriel’s family that night. After the discussion with Lilly regarding her out of control and bullying behaviour, Rosemary had asked if Lilly was prepared to knuckle down, work and lose her high mannered bullying attitude. Lilly had looked at Rosemary saw if she was dirt on her show and replied “Whatever!............I will do what I want, when I want….after all you are nothing but a lowly fat mundane ghetto bird..like the rest of the women Chav’s in this so called family” Lilly found herself having corporal punishment for the second time day, being disciplined with corporal punishment in her life. This time with a wooden clothes brush to her bare bottom and a two week restriction. 

To Lilly’s further humiliation Lilly’s wand had been replaced with a second hand wand, brought from one of Mikes customers. Lilly had been spitting when she had been forced to choose her new wand. Conrad had been resigned to the fact that Lilly would have to be brought a new wand form Ollivander’s in Diagon alley. It was another expense that had to be met, a new Ollivander wand cost from £50.00 upwards, most wands costing at least £90.00 plus. 

But Mikes customer, was the world’s top wand crafter, his family had been crafting wands since before Merlin’s time. Mike had popped round with the wizard one evening, and the wizard produced his box of second hand wands for Lilly to choose from. When Lilly had thrown a paddy worthy of Severus that night, the customer had rolled his eyes and explained to the assembled audience “So Garrick, is still spouting that crap about his wands are the best…..they are second rate at best, he uses only wood and cores that have infinity with only light magic…..I should know, its me that has been producing his substandard wands for years, to his precise specifications! Any witch or wizard can use most wands, but a well matched wand will allow them to enhance their magic…..a young witch or wizard really needs a good second hand wand to start learning magic with that is matched as closely to their magical cores as possible”

Lilly had called him a liar and shouted at him “How can a second hand wand ever possibly be a perfect match, after all a second hand wand has been well used, where as a new wand has never been used before! SO the wand has chosen at least one previous wizard or witch”

“Exactly!” stated the customer “A second hand wand has been broken in, its rough edges sanded down……Let’s see if a witch or wizard magical core has and infinity for Monkey Puzzle and Olive hard woods, with a dark core ingredients….a wand crafted with those ingredients will work well and perfectly with the witches or wizards magical core whether it is brand new or second hand….”

“But only Ollivander has the exclusive rights and permission to supply Hogwarts children wands” Petunia countered, entering into the argument, after all she had heard the spiel that the witch McGonn had given Lilly and her parents. “I mean that Lilly asked the question about second hand wands and if there was any other wand crafters even in Britain, because it was a lot of money to spend on a stick after all……and the witch sort of implied that only Ollivander had the exclusive rights to produce and supply the wands….and then..”

“At Ollivanders, he said quite vehemently that the wand only chooses a wizard or witch once, and the rest of the time a second hand wand will not work well for a witch or wizard….it was a lot of money the wand….it was the cost of our weekly food bill….but Ollivander and McGonagall insisted that it was a necessary expense” Lilly finished for Petunia, remembering how her first wand had cost.

The customer smiled and said “Let me guess..” he put his hand up to stop the girls “It took you a long time to find a wand…..and the wand cost at least 70 galleons which equated to roughly £200” Lilly and Petunia nodded, the customer smiled and continued “All theatrics....Garrick is a big scam artist, and his old man was worse. Until Dumbledore made it unofficial policy that children had to buy their wands from him, there was vibrant free market in wand producing and selling…then suddenly it became almost a one family monopoly in Britain, the rest of the world never has never tried to restrict the wand crafting industry as Dumbledore and his Wizengamot has” The wizard took a cup of tea from Rosemary sipped a drink and continued with his story “But there has never been any rules or regulations regarding what wands are permitted at Hogwarts….look if anybody says something, ask the old frauds McGonagall and Dumbledore where they obtained their first wands, mind I said first wands….the answer McGonagall had to make do with a forth hand wand from my old master Schreiber; and Dumbledore’s wand was his father’s after his father was kissed for murdering twenty muggle boys!” the family looked shocked. 

The wizard continued “A witch or wizard normally only has a custom made wand when he becomes a master of a discipline, and that’s because they like to show off to each other! The only exception is a Cracker, who has a potions master has to have a customised made wand for them to use. A potions master wand will be needed to be moulded their strengths and weaknesses, as well as being able to be used safely in the potions lab….there is a reason why wands and magic are not permitted in the potions class, in fact potions is a very new discipline that has been added to the magical curriculum, and only because most of the renown Crackers have left the magical society for good with the other outcasts of magical society” the family and Lilly included looked intrigued as the wizard continued “Magic used in a potions lab by normal wizards is unpredictable, for children just beginning to learn magic it is very dangerous indeed. Magic is very unstable in its pure form…” the wizard looked at the incomprehensible faces of people in the room, he sighed and continued “Vitutedei is what Magic is called in its wildest form. Vitutedei is like lightening, powerful, uncontrollable and dangerous when living beings interact with it in its natural state” everybody nodded, the wizard smiled and continued “But people have learnt how to produce, control and use lightening relatively safely, we call it electricity….but electricity can be dangerous if it is not respected by people, after all to ensure our safety we have experts called electricians that help maintain and work with electricity. Magic is like electricity, it is safe when used properly and safely” The wizard looked up and saw that the family before him was entranced with his explanation and story. He took a breath and continued

“ Before the mundane and magical societies separated Witches and wizards were considered the electricians of their day, they understood and worked with magic. Allowing all of society to benefit magic and its uses. Hogwarts was founded supposedly by four good humanitarians to ensure that the mundanes that had natural infinity with magic could be taught safety about their subject” The family including Conrad and Rosemary nodded, after all this was the spiel that the professors who came to the mundane families used to entice the mundane children to Hogwarts. 

“The four founders were just business people who were employed by the powerful elite to create a school that enslaved the mundane children with very substantial magical cores. Once isolated and trained these young adults could only work for the most wealthy and powerful rulers, lords whatever…..” The wizard looked at the disbelief on the families faces and continued with his explanation with a question “How much do you think it cost to privately educate a child Conrad”

Conrad coughed and said “From £30,000 upwards and that does not include the extra on top of that”

“How long has there been any form of free state funded education in Britain” 

“Free education must have started in the Victorian era” Rosemary answered, just guessing at the answer. The wizard smiled and said “It was around about that time, so before then poor mundane children had very limited access to good education, except for mundane children with the magical gift…..their education was free, because the founders ensued that there would be enough money for at least 1000 years to support and pay for all the mundane children attending the school!” Now the wizard started to tap a finger as he made his next point to his audience “It cost £30,000 to send a child per year to a bog standard public school, so to send a child just for its secondary education it will cost at least a quarter of million pounds…..so for the last 1000 years around 100 children a year at the cost of at least a quarter million of pounds each, but I know as every magical connected person that the Hogwarts fees are a lot less than that” He raised his hand to stop the questions he knew the family now had and continued “The pure blood families would never be able to afford to send one let alone two or three children to Hogwarts those fees! Rich pure blood families that send their children to Hogwarts believe they are rich and they are compared to other magical families. But most pure blood families are what mundanes call land rich, but cash poor…”

“Meaning that the land they own worth a lot of money, but they have little actual cash they can use” Conrad helpfully added to the conversation

“Exactly! And spending at least a quarter of a million pounds upwards on a child’s education will deplete the cash reserves rapidly, because there will be no money returned to the family’s money reserves after the child graduates from Hogwarts!..................It is the families of the Aurors and healers, masters of subjects etc that fund their career…..In magical society it is established that healers and aurors are only paid a very nominal salary, and only after a ten year apprenticeship which their families have to fund. But to hold any real position or power in society you have to been a healer, auror, professor, master”

“And those positions or careers are only open to the people who can afford to study and work for free effectively” Lilly commented, suddenly beginning to perhaps understand that the magical world was not as all-encompassing and great as the mundane society.

“Exactly….so to overcome the little problem of poverty, it is well known that none of the pure blood families pay for the education of their children. After all the future rulers of your society Lilly need to be educated however badly”

“But doesn’t the wizarding parliament control the magical ministry and society?” queried Petunia

“Yes and No!” replied the wizard “The Wizengamot nominally is in control of the society, and it has to pass any laws. They are also the judge, jury and punishers of the courts”

“But! That is giving too much power to a few people!” interrupted Rosemary “How can a man have a free trail. When he is being judged, jury and punishers…….nobody can be all three and still ensure a person receives a fair trial”

“Ah! You see there are very few trails that the Wizengamot oversee. Many suspects never make it to trail they are either sentenced to Azkaban or kissed” the wizard answered Rosemary

“B….ut that is outrageous…everybody has the right to a trail!” wailed Lilly indignantly “It’s one of the basic tenants of a fair and legal justice system!”

“Really! Lilly you are thinking like a mundane who has always lived in a western based democratic system…..where an individual and their rights are viewed as being more important in some instances than the sovereign nation that they are a part of……..Magical society views the rights and cohesion of its society as above and more important than an individual’s……if a few or maybe a lot of injustices are made…it’s no big problem, after all if the message to the societies individuals confirms that they are not important, then they will keep in line”

“So what happens to most people who accused or caught committing crimes?” Petunia asked perplexed

“Very often there is a quick potion or light hex in the cell and the individual is dead…..or if it is an important individual or a prominent magical family member…then they are sent to Azkaban or even kissed after their case has been reviewed by the chief warlock, head of DMLE and the minister of magic!”

“So if the Wizengamot is the nominal leaders of the magical society….who really controls it?” asks Petunia, who was secretly beginning to be happy that she wasn’t a magical, who would be under the control of a despotic regime when she had finished her education.

“At present the ministers of the ministry of magic, with the magical equivalent having the same status as the president of the USA……but over a number of years the calibre of the ministers and employees working at the ministry of magic has declined. It is well known on the streets of the magical society that Dumbledore has the real power behind the scenes….he is after all the Chief warlock of Britain and the internal federation of wizards…..and has ensured that only weak willed people afraid of him are in any position of power or influence. It also helps that his is the headmaster of the only British magical society school” 

“So if the pure blood children attend Hogwarts for free….then that means every magical child will attend Hogwarts for free then…after all it would only be fair….”

“Forget fairness Rosemary is it?” The wizard interrupted Rosemary musings, she nodded and he continued “The only children in the magical society that are educated free are influential families. Pure blood families, every other child has to pay for their education! Which means that three quarters or more of magical children are not given any formal education”

Conrad coughed and tried to get back to the discussion they were having, by recapping for the wizard and his family “So pure blood and influential magical children attend Hogwarts for free..”

“Also mundane children are attended Hogwarts free….”Rosemary commented 

“Which means that the founders had to have somehow set aside at least £3000,000,000 pounds just for the teaching costs alone, and that does not include the costs of maintaince etc. that would have been needed over the years” whispered Conrad

“Exactly! So either the founders were a lot richer than the Catholic church or the monarchs of their countries…..or they were assisted by the church and the powerful to establish Hogwarts and pay for the costs of teaching the children attending the school”

“But why would anybody spend an enormous amount of money to educate a very small number of children” asked Petunia perplexed 

The wizard laughed “. Because only a small number of mundanes had an infinity with magic, and could wield it safely for the good of society. Hogwarts was established to train the mundanes that had this infinity. A problem for the four Hogwarts founders and the rulers of society at that time was this infinity of magic could and cannot be predicted. The infinity crossed all borders, a paupers son could be a powerful mage, a powerful mages son could be a squib. For the common man as he was called then, this didn’t really impact on their or their families lives. Mundanes can after all live quite happily with or without magic. But the powerful mages and the ruling class needed and wanted the exclusive use and power of magic, but they couldn’t limit the education of magic control and power to their families or peers, or even the established powerful mages like Merlin etc. The affinity to control magic was only present in a small part of the population and from all parts of it……So our rulers were clever, very clever….they controlled the use of magic and its wielders by insuring that the poor and illiterate mundanes became sacred of magic and saw the wielders of magic as evil. Ensuring that the people who had an infinity with magic were ostracised at best and worse persecuted and killed, using the newly established Abrahamic religions to push this idea” 

“But you cannot just blame Christianity for persecution of wizards and witches!” Lilly called out to the wizard. 

“I am afraid I can and do! To establish converts and control over the population, the catholic church persecuted every person, religion and idea that opposed its absolute control over society. The Catholic Church based in Rome and descended from the roman empire for centuries ruled with absolute power most of Europe! Its leader the Pope was the most important person, he had control and authority over kings, emperors….Popes launched wars, deposed kings and emperors, it was only with the start of the dissolution of the church in England by Henry eighth that the Catholic Church started to lose some of its power. But the church even with evolving of the Anglican based religions was and is still very powerful in the world today…..but as I was saying anybody different from the norm was ostracised from their communities, hedge witches and wizards were hounded out of their communities and their healing and teaching roles etc were taken over by the monasteries” 

The wizard slowly drank and finished his cup of tea, while the family waited entranced for the man to finish his story. After a pause he continued “With the death of hedge witches and wizards for the greater good of cause. The powerful and elite could enslave the magical children, they took them from their families and communities and gave them to the Hogwarts founders to teach the children how to control their magic. When the children had mastered magical power they could not return to their communities, they had lost all contact with their families and the communities after all. So they were then ‘looked after’ by the powerful elite and mages, the one discipline in which the Hogwarts founders couldn’t teach magical children was the art of potions. Potions masters were respected by their mundane communities and formally called Crackers. It was a very respectful term that mundanes used towards the potion masters, as wand crafter masters were once called Goldeners by mundanes. Crackers and Goldeners lived and worked normally within the mundane communities exclusively, and supplied for them the healing and other potions that were required, and crafted wands and other tools for the magical and mundane society. It took a long apprenticeship for a potion student to become a qualified Cracker or Goldener. Because Crackers and Goldeners usually have a very small magical core, they could safely live in the mundane community and thrive there, in fact Crackers and Goldeners were the first physists, chemists and even scientists of mundane society. Mages and powerful magical have always been scared, envious of Crackers and us Goldeners. 

The Hogwarts founders really hated Crackers and Goldeners, oh Salazar has always been seen as powerful potion master, he was crap with potions like most magicals. Salazar like other magicals cannot control there magical core around potions brewing process. His powerful core allowed magic to interfere with the potions process and ingrediants. The potion he supposedly produced and developed were simple potions that a first year Cracker apprentice could brew in their sleep. Another reason why Crackers and Goldeners were not respected was the same reason they very often became their mundane communities elders. For them to use and mould magic they had to study and understand the theory regarding magic and its properties! Most magicals naturally feel magic and learn to use this feeling to accomplish what they want or need, which is why children have bouts of accidental magic growing up. A normal magical child can only start to learn to control their magic at around eleven, because their core is then large enough for the child to feel and use it. A magical child doesn’t really need a formal magical education, for most children it would be better to be taught with their mundane peers and then have extra magical lessons. But because of the education system and subsequent society set up by our ancestors, it is still very normal for very powerful children to be separated and educated in isolation. A magical child leaving a magical educational establishment will be academically behind their mundane peers, that they find it very difficult to reside in the mundane world….which is what the founders, church and the rulers wanted after all”

“But….but…..all magical children have to attend Hogwarts school, if not they…..” Petunia interrupted the wizard, the man just laughed and responded with “Do you really think that there is only what a 50 to let’s say tops 200 magical children born each year in the whole of Britain! Or perhaps the powerful mages like Dumbledore may want to keep control and have unlimited power of a very small and elite group of individuals!” Lilly sat there opened mouthed, stunned by what the elderly wizard was saying and suggesting.

“But why?” asked a dumfounded Lilly 

“Because as Lord Acton stated ‘Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost bad men’ or Great powerful men get addicted to wielding power absolutely, and it is easier to wield absolute power over a relatively small group of people, that have been kept isolated from the wider society Lilly”

Rosemary added “Normally isolated groups are either ethnic, racial or religious in origin and have cut themselves from the normal mundane society”

“But magical society is split into two fractions that hate each other” Lilly informs people

“Really!” The wizard says “Or perhaps somebody has decided to artificially divide the magical society…..by raising tensions between the mundane new comers..... and the established pure blood families”

 

“But Dumbledore wants magical society to integrate all aspects and citizens, from the pure bloods families to the mundanes” Lilly stated 

“Really! Because you are told and taught about the traditions and customs of the society you will live in….or perhaps Dumbledore has suggested that traditional followers must follow the new citizens of their society…and neither side the traditionalists or the mundane raised are ever properly educated about their social norms and traditions, including the religious festivals of both sides”

“But surely a society should just respect other people and allow them to follow their own ways!” Petunia commented confused. After all Britain was a multi culture society, and respected all different members of its society. That is what having civil and human rights were for.

“Really! So it is acceptable for a woman to walk down the pavement topless in Britain? After all it is the norm for people to be naked in some remote African tribes” the wizard asked  
Mike now spoke “No! because it is not seen as polite or correct behaviour in Britain…..it would be the same as a British women not respecting the dress code when visiting another country”

“Exactly my point……Muslim’s including both sexes must dress modesty, that is why Muslim women sometimes feel it is appropriate to wear the Hijabs, whilst other women feel comfortable in just wearing western clothing that covers them appropriately……In traditional society, both sexes are expected to dress modesty as well, but there are more stringent standards for both sexes…..children to a certain extent are exempt from the dress code…”

“But they still dress modesty” Lilly interrupted “You never see a pure blood magical child wearing short skirts or trousers….most girls at least wear head coverings” 

“Exactly!” replied the wizard “and when a traditional raised witch bonds or marries with a wizard, then they will shave their head so that the head covering they are expected to wear are more comfortable”

“But that this barbaric!” exclaimed both Lilly and Petunia together, both the girls could never envision shaving all their hair.

“It’s not that unreasonable girls….most well raised women until quite recently shaved their heads, it made wearing their hairpieces or ornate hoods, that were very heavy etc” both girls shuddered at the thought of having to wear such contraptions on their heads. “There are of course other big and small behaviours and manners that mundane raised children either ignore or do that insults their traditional magical peers…..and this way leads to both sides not trusting each other, or even finding common ground in some instances” The wizard looked particularly at Lilly, hoping that the girl may be intelligent or curious enough about what they had discussed tonight, and to try and research the topics they had discussed.

The Wizard continued “Of course Dumbledore has not only perhaps accidentally ensured that the mundane and magical raised groups inherently distrust each other he has through his reforms and laws passed ensured that groups of magical citizens have had not only had their citizenship revoked but have been deemed dangerous creatures or beasts that either need to be tightly controlled or killed for the greater good of cause!” 

“Pearl would insist that Dumbledore had taken advice from Hitler and his Nazi’s…according to her the Nazi’s were able to carry out their astrotessies because they marginalised certain groups in society and then ruled the rest of their third Reich empire with a iron fist!” Mike commented when the wizard had explained Dumbledore actions in the Wizengamot.

“But what has happened to the people who either oppose Dumbledore, or who he has deemed dangerous?” asked Petunia

“They have like us Crackers, Goldeners and Claudians departed the magical society and established themselves in mundane society. There are of course people who are trying to change society and help individuals trapped under Dumbledore’s minions but it is dangerous and most individuals and their families never return to the magical society once they have left of forced to leave by Dumbledore’s laws and restrictions!.....Now lets get you a new wand Lilly” the wizard stated

“So you make a good living crafting wands then?” Conrad asked conversationally to the wizard 

“No its peanuts really…..Didn’t Mike tell you, I now make the coffins for the local undertakers when requested as I love working with wood, but I was very successful stock broker for a major British Bank!” and with that Lilly obtained her new wand, her old wand had been a 10 an quarter inch squishy willow wood. Her new wand was a 7 and a half monkey puzzle and olive inflexible wand. But to Lilly’s surprise the wand felt and performed better than her previous wand

“Of course another reason most magical people have new wands crafter for them selves, is that the trace will never have been placed on the wand” the wizard commented when Conrad paid him the £10 that he asked for

“But the ministry removes the trace on a witches or wizards seventeenth birthday” Lilly said

“Oh! Do they….perhaps my knowledge is outdated and they have a new trace spell that can be removed now from people or their belongings, the trace couldn’t be removed before…oh well you learn something new every day!” and with that the wizard departed the cottage. Leaving with Lilly a contact name and place, just in case she needed another new wand. Written on the back of the card was the following information  
Lilly  
FYI only, a trace cannot be placed on this wand and you can use either a fountain pen or even good quality ball point pens to write with.

Remember I supply the fraud Garrick with his wands, and your wand was crafted by me, and that there is no rule regarding only having to use or buy Garrick’s wands

Stay safe always  
A Friend

End of flashback  
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
Severus and Pearl had met the wizard Tom Riddle one morning after his weekly torture sessions as he referred to them, although the sweets and treats he obtained did mollify him somewhat, and Mike never allowed anything to touch his face, which Severus knew hurt! 

Tom had met Pearl, and to Toms amazement they had started courting. When one day Tom had been totally honest with Pearl about his ambitions, she had vowed to assist and help him. Even going as far to promise her help if they ever broke up! 

Tom had been amazed by the understanding, patience and acceptance that was shown to the wizarding child Severus by the mundane extended family that had adopted him. He had readily agreed to being the caster and bonder of the worthless unbreakable vow that Severus was ensuring all the mundanes were taking. 

Conrad still had the nagging feeling that Mike had somehow engineered the meeting between his beloved eldest daughter and child and future son in law.  
Conrad still remembered his first phone conversation between him and Pearl. Conrad had answered the shops phone to hear Mikes wife voice on the phone, now he had by this time met Mikes wife Sandra a few times so he greeted her “Hi Sandra, do you want to talk to Roundie”

“Yes I would like to speak to roundie, but I am not Sandra his wife”  
“Who are you then?” Conrad asked perplexed  
“The most important person in roundie’s life”  
“So you are Sandra his wife”  
“No”  
“The old woman his mother”  
“No! I am not a eighty year old woman thank you very much”  
“His sister Barbara”  
“Nope, that would be an impossibility considering she has been dead since 1953 aged 15, and last time I looked this morning I wasn’t a ghost!”  
“His aunt”  
“Dead”  
“His mistress”  
“Sandra would kill him, slowly and very painfully as you know very well, if thought about having a mistress!” Conrad silently agreed and shuddered at the thought of Mike’s wife being that angry and vengeful. Sandra was a lovely women, but she was a not a woman to cross thank you very much  
“Who the hell are you”  
“language, I’ll put you on to Sandra” there was a shout and Sandra came onto the phone and Conrad started the conversation all over again, and what was so annoying was that Mike, Sandra and the everybody in the shop was laughing at his frustrating phone conversation. Sandra in the end relented and told Conrad that he had been speaking to their eldest of three, their daughter called Pearl and definitely the most important person in Mikes life  
Conrad was astounded and commented “But that is not right, you are his wife and Pearl is just his daughter….nothing should be more important to Mike than you” and Sandra had uttered the wise words “Conrad! When I gave birth to our daughter Pearl she became with my blessing and understanding he most important female and person in his life. I am number seven on his most important person in his life, the old woman his mother is number eight. And we have never minded, the order of the list in descending order is Pearl, James, Charles, Brock the lab, Fangs the oldest cat, misty the youngest cat! Me and then the old woman. And that is how it should be and Conrad, Mike understands that he is number seven on my list, you have children and your broke, tired and always trying to keep discipline and order, but the children become the your most prized and loved treasure you will ever have”

So that morning Tom and Pearl had accompanied the families to Kings cross to see the five children off on the Hogwarts Express. They had decided to join the small group at Enfield Costa, to update Amelia on what had happened. Also Tom had yet again agreed to be the bonder of the unbreakable vow that between Severus and Amelia it was needed.

Tom thought ‘that if looks could cast the unforgivable AVA KADA, then Muriel’s husband David would be dead’ the look that Muriel gave her bonded, when he brought back a fruit platter as a treat for her was priceless. Especially since everybody was contently munching into cakes and other sugary treats.

The conversation soon focused on what the wand crafter had said when he had sold Lilly her second wand. While the women in the family vocalised their worries regarding the children being in the vicinity and control of the dictator Dumbledore.

Pearl leant towards Tom and said “I think I may have worked out how you can oust Dumbledore from power buy legal and nonviolent means….but the plan is very long term, it could take more than twenty years to oust Dumblebore from his position” Tom whispered back, can we discuss what you have found out later in private” and Pearl agreed to do so.


	6. Different houses and changes at hogwarts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella Black has made a surprisingly new friend. Lilly is in trouble yet again and the new head of the board of governors is?

We will go and explain to her, why  she has to follow the house rules!” Bellatrix happily cried and dragged Victoria out of the Slytherin house lounge to go to the library

 

“Do you think Bella if the right person to explain to…?”  Harry questioned their friends.

“Of course idiot!  Bella loves and adores her, if anybody can explain to her….why she should never be alone for proprietaries sake it is Bella”  Regulas Black answered Harry

“Come on cousin, let’s go and meet them in the library, I am fed up trying to find another  200 words on the Flitwick’s essay”  James stated, Harry sighed and joined his friends leaving Slytherin house for the library

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It was a nearly  the end of the school autumn term and everything had changed for Lilly, she was beginning to despair of ever actually learning from the renowned professors at Hogwarts or finding anything in the library regarding the raw source of magic and its properties.  Lilly had decided to feed her curiosity regarding what the old wand crafter had told her and the family about magic. 

 

Lilly had also kept up a correspondence with her sister Petunia, the letters had started being very short, but over the term both girls had worked on their differences and now got on a lot better.  Petunia seemed to have a lot more and harder academic work then Lilly had.

 

 Lilly now had made up her own study schedule, and the  evenings and most Saturdays and even Sunday morning mornings would find her in the library or the house study rooms studying.  Not the work or essays that the professors laughing set them, no she was studying on her own!  Monday evening was for Hogwarts work, Tuesday through to Friday was for what Lilly classed as Crackers work, studying the theory of Vitutedei  and the theory of the its different disciplines including proper historical research, Saturdays and Sundays was for studying the mundane sciences, English, Maths and History.  She had begged Petunia and be sent her old school syllabus and school books and was studying the subjects with her likeminded house mates.  No way she going to lose her greatest resource and asset, being able to live seamlessly in the mundane world.   And if need be she would drag her friends and housemates into the mundane world as well!

 

From reading Petunias letters she had found out that Petunias weekly boarding school was designed differently, the girls and boys were housed in same sex dormitories.  They were taught, studied etc together but the sexes were housed in separate dormitories.  The house rivalry was more friendlier in the mundane boarding school.  Oh Petunia wanted her house to do well, in her schools version of the house cup, but it wasn’t Petunias driving force.  No Petunia wanted to do well academically, so she could make something out of her life.  

 

Lilly knew she would always be the spoilt bratty princess, who thought she deserved the perfect life.  Lilly had realised that she had been a user as well, happy to coast along with minimum effort.  A bully who only had made friends with Severus to use his intellect.  But not anymore, she was slowly trying to change, she now wanted to be more like Petunia, prepared to work hard for what she wanted.  To be fair the course work that she was handing in to the professors to be marked was substandard, the essays etc didn’t hold her interest now.  What had seemed so wondrous last year appeared infantile and basic.  The extra studying was hard, but had allowed her to understand the theories and how to execute properly the different techniques that the disciplines employs. 

 

The first question she had researched and answered was why did  Charms and Transfiguration use different wand movements etc. when the disciplines seemed similar.   The answer had floored her, Transfiguration and Charms were the same discipline.  In fact the more theory she researched and studied the more she had realised that magic was one discipline artificially broken into subjects, even more artificial was the strict line as to what consisted dark (evil) or light (good) magic.   Lilly now knew better, magic was just the tamed  Vitutedei and the  different disciplines just different facets  of it.  Lilly now knew the problem was that the more you studied the theory of magic, the more  a person realised that they knew nothing important about the discipline.   When she had complained to Petunia about this fact, her sister had commented “Welcome to her world….the mundane sciences”

 

It was when she had written to Petunia in despair about how her classes were boring.  How no actual theory was being taught to them, that when Lilly had tried to complete the course and homework she was delving into the theoretical side of the disciplines.  And because she was basing her essays and course work on actual magical theory, she was failing her course work, due to  the fact that no professor wanted her to quote “read and try to understand the archaic drivel that she had used to help answer their homework essays with”, that Petunia had come to her rescue.  Petunia’s answer was brilliant and was a direct quote form the Christian good news testament ‘So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s’.  Lilly had then just answered the Professors essay questions exactly, not using the new magical theoretical knowledge she had learnt.  This made the academic coursework harder for Lilly, a number of times she had to dumb down the her essays content to almost it seemed the magical equivalent of a scientist just using a infants school child vocabulary and understanding.  But her practical application in class had increased, if you understood the theory behind a subject Lilly found, then you understood why certain actions and voice intonations were important in the use of spell casting, and how to craft new spells or even Lilly had hoped to be able understand and use magic in new and exciting ways.

 

Lilly had also got herself a name in Gryffindor house as a tittle tattle.  Lilly had been disgusted that Mary Prewitt was sneaking upstairs in the Articus Brandon’s dormitories.   Mary was not the only female to carry on sneaking around having sex with boys from their houses, but Lilly had felt that it was not setting a good example to the younger students in their house.  

 

She had tried to warn Articus that she thought that Mary Prewitt was slipping potions into his food and drink.  Everybody in Gryffindor house had been outraged at her accusations, not that she had claimed that the prefect Mary was drugging Articus.  Not the outrage had been that she would complain to the professors and the saintly Headmaster. 

 

Of course Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall had her in the headmasters office, a month into the new school year to discuss her unwarranted (Dumbledore’s words) behaviour regarding the situation between Articus and Mary.  Dumbledore had very condensing and patronisingly  gently explained to her “that her very old muggle ideas on moral behaviour, were having a negative effect on Gryffindor’s morale”  Dumbledore had countered with “Lilly you must realise that drawing attention to your squalid muggle morals and expectations will just isolate you from your peers”    

 

After Lilly had tried to explain that if Mary Prewitt was drugging Articus Brandon, then it was almost the same as female date drug raping that happened in mundane society.  Dumbledore had sighed so disappointedly at Lilly, and replied “But that is mundane society…in the magical world our views are more elastic, children after all experiment”

 

“With that comparison then, it is a good job that the magical population as never learnt about guns from the mundane society.  In my mundane society, it is the adults responsibility to ensure the safety of minors and the vulnerable not encourage and condone reckless or dangerous behaviour  sir”

 

“Miss Evans please do not speak to me about by responsibility of the young charges in my care….I look after you all as if you were my own children”  and a picture came unbidden of how Severus had been treated last year, or the bullying by her house on other students.  Lilly had left his office in a rage, she nearly wrote to her guardians and asked to go home to be schooled.  But instead she had decided to knuckle down herself.  Lilly had come away with a migraine form the meeting,  she had felt in the meeting as if someone was trying to read her mind.  There had felt to be a pressure just behind her eyes, as if someone who thought they were powerful were trying to gain access to her mind.  But that couldn’t be right, nobody could read minds.  And Dumbledore and McGonagall were the only adults in the headmasters office.

 

Lilly came out of her musings, smirked and quickly sent a silent and painful hex back at Bella Black, who just laughed and came and sat with Lilly at the table she had commandeered in the library, Bella looked at the work Lilly had just completed and commented “You’ll find that the wand movement should be more of an arc for the levitation charm , and if continue putting that dross in your charms essay….you’ll be awarded another troll for your work”

 

“Who cares Bella..its crap, if you want to know how a hex, charm etc. works then study the underlining theory and not the crap they have you study here……”

 

Victoria joined her year mates and best friends at the table and Bella launched into her tirade “Lilly!......you know the first rule of our house?”

 

“Snakes look after each other!”

“The second rule Lilly?”

“To respect yourself and your family and follow the old ways”

“The third rule Lilly”

 

“Always to be with at least another snake of the same sex when you are away from our house….Oh, I guess I am in trouble for breaking the third rule AGAIN!” Lilly’s head hit the table in frustration, she had tried, really tried to follow the rules of Slytherin house.  But she had always had difficulty following the third rule.  

 

Bella sighed, thought and then explained “Lilly….I know it is difficult for you to understand the importance of the third rule especially as you are mundane born”  Lilly was about to say something when Bella put her hand up to forestall her “ So I will try to make you understand why it is important.  Lilly if you was at your guardians house…Conrad and Rosemary are their names?” Lilly nodded yes “Would they allow a boy or man in your bed room alone with you”

 

“No way…..It is not seen as being the correct behaviour for young couples to be left alone in a person’s bedroom any room really….well not until the relationship is serious”

 

Bella nodded and continued, she had learnt a lot after all from her best friend Lilly Evans about mundane society, and how it was not that different than the magical one “It is the same in traditional families Lilly…..but here at Hogwarts us followers of the old ways have to be more alert…….What is the first thing that a person is taught about behaviour Lilly”

 

“That you have only one virtue, both sexes should try to comport themselves in a way that allows friendship and learning to be paramount.  But that there should be no hint of immoral behaviour on a person’s part…….A child’s behaviour and virtue reflects upon their family and head of house, and whilst at Hogwarts you house is part of your family for ever!....oh”

 

“Correct!” said Bella “You are now a part of the snake house, your behaviour reflects on your family.  Nobody who knows you Lilly would ever think that you would allow yourself to be compromised….but  we are afraid Dumbledore would try to besmirched a snakes virtue by instructing a light side supporter to either attack the snake or spread lies about how far they have gone with the snake!”

 

“So by ensuring that the snake house students roam Hogwarts in groups of two or more, you are stopping Dumbledore’s supporters from targeting us” Lilly answered, realising why her new housemates kept drumming into her the third rule and her failure to strictly follow it.

 

It was on the day of the Halloween feast that Dumbledore in a fit of anger at Lilly’s stance towards her Gryffindor housemates, and her statement that she would not reside in the same house as a witch that was date raping a wizard, had been moved to Slytheyn House.  But instead of Lilly begging him and McGonagall to be allowed back to the Lion’s den.  She had excepted his discission and quietly moved into the Slytherin House.  The house was a lot smaller than the Lion’s Den, and she had to bunk up with the only single witch left in her year, which had been Bellatrix Black. 

 

It had been a very stormy first two weeks when the witches first started sharing a room, the ice had been broken when Bella had looked over her shoulder at Lilly’s  independent research.  Bella had then started to understand that not all mundanes wanted to take over the magical society.  Bella had started to tend Lilly books on wizarding traditions and following the way.  

 

Lilly had finally won over the rest of her new house when Dumbledore one morning announced that the only headwear permitted at Hogwarts was either the official school cap, or a heat wear that was incorporated into  the students everyday robes.

 

Lilly had felt angry for her house mates, for most of the girls who wore veils it was personal choice and not dictated by their religion or families.  The girls felt happier wearing their veil Lilly had been the one to interrupt the headmaster and ask “Headmaster Dumbledore, why the new ruling regarding the wearing of veils”

 

“It is to stop the persecution of mundane witches Miss Evans…..by banning the veils, we are striking a blow for what your mundane society call feminists”

 

Just as Dumbledore sat down, Lilly interrupted Dumbledore and even Harry had gaped opened mouthed at her reply “You are striking a blow for mundane feminists! Thankyou sir, but no thanks….women in my family and other mundane women have fought long and hard to be treated the same as men in the mundane society and our fight is not over yet….but the biggest fight a feminist can have is to ensure that a PERSON….whether they are classed as male or female can wear what they want to, as long as it does not offend others.   A women in MY SOCIETY is allowed to wear a veil, a hair piece, short hair, long hair even shave her hair if she wants to….and I have no right to tell her what to do! This new rule you have just made up is to drive even a bigger wedge between the traditionalists of magical society and the mundane society.”  With that Lilly sat down still so enraged that she had not noticed her housemates open mouthed response.

 

Dumbledore just sighed and said “The new ruling stands, now finish breakfast and off to classes everybody”

 

Lilly had been so incensed at the underhandedness that Dumbledore had employed in outlawing the wearing of the veil, that she had complained loudly in a letter to Petunia about it. Petunia had written back that “As uncle Mike is fond of saying ‘to break a rule, you must follow the rule so closely that you break it, but not break it!’” and enclosed in the package she sent Lilly was three chadors, that satisfied the rules for the school robes.  Lilly had asked a house elf Wispy to incorporate the Slytherin house colours on the Chadors.  The first day she had worn it had been to the Slytherin/Ravensclaw transfiguration class, her classmates had gaped at her audacity,  Bella had whispered to her “You know you are in trouble correct Lilly?”

 

“Bella do me a favour! Can you ask your father or one of his friends to be with me as my magical guardian at the meeting that Dumbledore will drag me to?”

 

Bella had agreed to ask her farther to be her representative, luckily for Lilly not only did Bella’s father attend the meeting but Colonel Brandon accompanied him to see what the fuss was about.  Bella joining Lilly in the meeting.  Bella had also started wearing the adapted Chador as well, which had led to almost the whole of the female student population of Hogwarts wearing the Chador as a direct confrontation to Dumbledore’s veil ban.

 

Because Lilly and Bella had been the instigators of the rebellion, they were the ones of course who had been summoned to the headmasters office.  Both girls comported themselves how a well brought up old way follower would.  Bella had spent the intervening week between Lilly first wearing the Chador to the meeting educating in the traditional  ways.

 

Colonel Brandon looked at the perfectly behave girls and asked the staff present “Why has this meeting been convened, what rules have the girls broken?”

 

Dumbledore sighed and responded “They are flouting the new uniform rules that were put into place to ensure muggle born felt more at home in our community”

 

“What new uniform rules? There has been no official letter home detailing any proposed changes to the uniform code” Bella’s father stated

“It was a minor change, the teaching staff in our wisdom banned the wearing of head pieces including the witches veil, unless it was of course the official school cap or the head piece was part of the school robes….and it seems that Miss Evans and Miss Black have tried to break the rule” Dumbledore sighed in his grandfatherly way

Colonel Brandon looked perplexed, pinched the bridge of his nose  and asked the question “Miss Evans, Miss Black what have you got to say for yourselves, did you know that you were breaking the new school uniform code”

 

Lilly looked up at the imposing man and meekly answered “Sir! We are not breaking the uniform code.  The code states ‘A hood can cover the students head if it is incorporated into the school robe, which must include the house colours.  These robes just happen to have a incorporated hood that we can wear..”

“But Miss Evans! They are NOT THE DESIGNATED HOGWARTS SCHOOL UNIFIORM ROBES as supplied as Madame Malkin’s thundered Professor McGonagall” 

 

Bella chimed in at this point with “The uniform policy just states robes must be worn either over normal clothes or on their own.  The code never states the style or who is the sole provider of the robes….we checked the code very thoroughly….”

 

“Just to ensure we were not unintentionally breaking any Hogwarts rules or policies” Lilly finished very demurely, exactly how a well brought up old way follower witch would.

 

Colonel Brandon found himself desperately trying not to laugh and keep a straight face, these two girls had beaten the headmaster at his own game.  They had outmanoeuvred the ultimate manipulator before them and there was nothing that Dumbledore could do about it. Colonel Brandon just kept facing forward not daring to look at Bella’s father. 

 

Bella’s father was having the almost the same thoughts as Colonel Brandon, oh he would be putting this memory in a pensive tonight and sharing the fun with his bonded and family.

 

Dumbledore almost shouted at the girls “These robes are mundane clothing!  You have both taken the rule and broken its intent by manipulating the dress code, now to your punishment for your behaviour” 

 

Before Dumbledore could finish the sentence Bella fathers interrupted “I think we have established ALBUS that these girls, which includes MY DAUGHTER have not broken any rules regarding the new uniform code….they may have managed to ensure that the rule you tried to introduce without the Governors or mundane governments permission or advice was adapted to their benefit….BUT THEY HAVE NOT BROKEN ANY RULES….and we wouldn’t want the prophet to somehow be informed of your little tantrum Albus, or certain members of the school board”  with that veiled threat from Bella’s father the girls were dismissed by Dumbledore, and the new school uniform code was revoked that night at supper.   But just to stick it to Dumbledore as her family would say, Lilly had continued to wear the Chador outside the Slytherin house, and the other Slytherin girls had kept her company!

 

Lilly smiled to herself as she remembered the scene in the headmasters office, it had after all become a second home to her this term.   Lilly had tried her best to stand up to the bullies of her old house, she was not as successful as she wanted to be.  Many times she felt she looked or walked away, but her house mates had noticed that she was very often the first to stand in the way of the bullies when they were targeting the weaker and younger students.  In fact between the Slytherin house, Jaws mate and sister in Hufflepuff, the bullying from the Vulture wake was more controlled.  The house had a meeting when Lilly had been deducted yet more points from Slytherin house for hexing back a Gryffindor girl who was badly hexing a first year Raven.  As per normal now, it was Lilly that had been in trouble by Professor McGonagall. 

 

The house meeting without their head of house  Professor Sluggy, had decided that they couldn’t care less about the house cup. After all what where the mundane odds of them even beating either Gryffindor or Ravensclaw house to win the cup.  Then Harry just had to convince everyone to join him and to complete to see who could lose the house the most points over the year.  The rules to the competition were simple, the lost points were added to a person’s score if they did not involve the bullying, hexing or pranking of other Hogwarts houses.     To make more interesting it had been agreed amongst the house, that it was the whole year points that would be totalled and use to see who the winning year was.  And the present time with Lilly, Harry, Jaws and Bella in second year,  their year was so far in the lead that the other years were holding emergency meetings to try to come with plans to gain more house deducts points. 

 

Lilly had found the her new house rules not only perfectly reasonable but normally easy to follow.  The house was spilt into a male and female house.  The boys and girls rooms were not accessible to the opposite sex.  There was a bedtime curfew and lights out for each year. The houses public areas were split into different areas there was a study room for each year, a formal common room, a withdrawing room where visitors waited to be seen.  And a small and comfortable common room/sitting room where students could just laze around in groups or by themselves.  Add to the fact that there was a boys games room and a girls parlour, and the house had plenty of space to work, play and rest. 

 

Another  difference was that the snakes would never use another’s work as their own, they may ask, beg and grovel to others for help in a particular subject, but never steal another’s work.  The older students tutored the younger students  in their academic and practical work! 

 

There was an work ethos, and everybody tried their hardest to obtain the highest grades they could, extra work and research was unusual but was encouraged for the students who wanted to undertake it.

 

Outside of Slytherin house there was a very strict hierarchy that everybody followed.  The Gryffindor’s and other houses made fun of the Slytherins, but any younger student was able to ask their older peers to help them, especially when it came to retaliating against the bullies from other houses.

 

Inside their house, the rules were a lot less formal, there were quiet areas for studying and reading.  But there was also areas where both sexes and all years grouped to enjoy each other’s company and sort out issues that arose from the house.  Another strange aspect of the house was that most of the students came from established old way followers and old Slytherin pupils.  The atmosphere in the house had been Lilly thought very conductive to her slow attitude change this term.  But here and now she tuned back into the conversation of her housemates.  And caught her best friend Bella saying “Ah! So my little snaky has venom then” Bella cooed “If it wasn’t you who sent the gorgeous yule tree into yonder Potter or Siri poo may be…..and earned the whole of the Slytherin house a detention the night of the yule tide leaving feast….”

 

“And ensuring the second year total of deduct points has risen to 2000 points, nobody should be able to catch us now” Jaws said in awe and admiration in his voice

“Oh what a pity we miss the feast! Hard luck Jaws we have nabbed the deduct points…as the mundanes say finders keepers….losers weepers”   Lucas Malfoy joined in the conversation

 

“Yes! It was me guys…look, I am really sorry about that…and I’ll go and confess, you lot really shouldn’t have to take the blame for my actions and miss the leaving feast.  After all it’s not fair that my house mates should be punishered for my….”

 

“Don’t you dare confess Evans!” Malfoy replied “One! Us snakes stick together always, as a snake we will have your back always”

 

“Two! It was so worth seeing little Potter and Siri poo crying when the tree landed on them, worth missing the feast” Bella added

 

“Three! We can ensure the traditional giving feast is held in our house for once this year!”  Regulas Black said, joining them at the table.

 

“But seriously Lilly!” Lucas  admonished his friend again with their audience “How many times have you been told about following the second rule…’No snake at Hogwarts…is allowed to be alone outside our house” 

 

“But I needed to do this last minute studying guys…seriously, my folks won’t understand my new found work ethic, I need to do some serious grovelling to so many people including Severus….and I won’t have access to these books at home….remember I am a mundane child…haven’t got the extensive library your families have!”

 

“Oy Lilly!” Harry shouted as he entered the library “Is it true you sent the tree into Potter and caught Sirius because they were pranking a firstie huffle”

 

“Yes Harry….Potter and the rest of the marauders had pranked the huffle firstie Winson…..just because he told on them for brewing the poly juice potion in Myrtle’s Bathroom” 

 

“What are the professors thinking off……poly juice brewed wrong can…”

“Either blow up part of the school, poison the person who digests it…..render that person to  permantly look like the donor….idiots!” Lilly shook her head

 

“Yes but they are the Gryffindor Marauders and can do no wrong as far Dumbledore and his cronies can see”  Harry added

“Or perhaps Dumbledick wants the Gryffindor’s to be his enforcers….what better way of ensuring his rule and wishes become law, then to have a whole house that bullies other houses into submission”  Lilly countered.

 

“You’ve been listening to Pearl too much!  She sees conspiratosies in everything! “ Jaws joined the friends at the table.  “But good news folks…….I know what is about to upset Dumbles applecart today…and an extra couple hundred of deduct points are in our second year bag”   Jaws sat at the table calmly buffing his nails on his robes!

 

“What Jaws? After all the only meeting Dumbles has is the board of Governors meeting, and he has them feeding out of his hand”  Lucas added bitterly to the conversation

 

“Not this time! Pearl is the leader of the new mundane group of governors  of Hogwarts”

 

“WHAT” and “BLOODY HELL” with “YOUR’RE ……JOKING” were heard from the table

 

“No…NOT JOKING….the mundane government has threatened the ministry that if it did not have adequate representation on the governing board, then it pull all mundane students studying and stop paying the three  quarters of the running costs of the school”

 

“Ah! That makes mummy’s last letter make more sense” Everybody looked at Regulas to finish his statement for them “She may have mentioned that there were changes a foot….because the old way followers had decided to side with the major financial contributors of Hogwarts….and that even Lord Potter has sided with them as well!”

 

“So the school governing board has been totally reorganised….but what does that mean for us?”  Lilly asked her mates

 

“The school governing board controls the school Lilly….What they decrees happens, this is away for the traditionalists and mundane government to work together to raise the academic standards etc. of the school!”

 

“In fact out of the fifteen school governors seats.  Seven are mundane governors, six old way followers and two supposed light way supporters which include Lord Potter and Colonel Christopher Brandon”

 

“Who are more traditional then my parents in some ways…” Bella added

 

“So who is the head of the governors then?” Lilly asked

 

“Pearl!”

“Bloody hell mate”  “WTF” “How did she manage that” and the “You are  F……king  Joking” were some of the comments to Jaws from the group

 

“No! I am not joking…Pearl after all is a member of a branch of a local political party, and has somehow managed to not only become a governor of this establishment…..”

“This is the same Pearl….”

“Yep! Lilly…this is the same Pearl who at eighteen became the school governor at me and brothers school and ensured that her view points were implemented…..this is the person who gained us pupils, teachers. Parents respect by not following the political party line, but by thinking of what was important short and long term for the school and facing down the leader of her local political party”

 

“Is this the same Pearl who is being courted by Colonel Brandon eldest son Tom Riddle?” Harry asked intrigued.

“Yep the same! She is working with him as well to again the political reforms he wants….she may be many things our Pearl…but she is political savvy….she’ll make sure Tom goes far”

 

“So the end of term has come and we miss the leaving feast…for our own Yule giving feast” Lucas Malfoy commented

“Somebody gains the 2000 deduct points for the Yule tree” Harry added, mentally adding the total to the second years points

“Jaws sister has waged war on the teaching establishment with the new governing board” Bella crackled with glee

“And hopefully Dumbledick has had a massive stroke at the governors meeting, and is either dead or so badly disabled he can’t be head master after today!” Lilly finished for them

“Come on Lilly! Stop dreaming the impossible dream……Dumbledore is toast, but it will take time and lot of planning and hard work to make it happen”  Victoria added

“Yes guys!  But it is a start….hopefully the start to a new and better future!” Lilly whispered.

 

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Albus Dumbledore was furious all hid well laid plans were almost in shatters.  That Mud blood Bitch had decided that she was far to good for his plans, all she had to do was be the prissy little bitch that her parents had brought up to be.  She had one role in his plans, to be the perfect mud blood step ford trophy wife of that little fool James Potter.

 

Severus Snape the Cracker had been rescued by a mundane couple, who were ensuring that the little retard wouldn’t turn to be a self-hating, slave to his course.

 

At least the Marauders and the Gryffindor’s were acting how they should.    After all Lilly Evans should have fallen at his feet after gaining admittance to the HOUSE OF HOGWARTS

 

Now the school governing board was no longer his to control, he had met that muggle slapper Pearl Long.  How dare a mundane bitch tell him how to run his school.  How there were going to be major changes starting with the sacking of the school matron Pomfrey.  He needed Pomfrey to help him with procedures to stabilise and increase light followers children squibs.  With the correct procedure then a baby squib could have a normal magical core.   Of course there were sacrifices and losers when the procedure was carried out….but it was only dark affiliated children, they didn’t deserve the gift of magic.

 

But at least Mary Prewitt was what did that Mud blood bitch call it, oh yes date raping the thick and stupid Articus Brandon.  All Mary had to do was wait till just after Articus father one Colonel Brandon died and then announce  that she was pregnant with Articus child.  That stupid sap Colonel Brandon would of course willed Articus all his mundane wealth and property, and then he would be able to get his hands on the wealth and power that Articus had been left.  It would be a shame of course that Colonel Brandon’s daughters and eldest son would be turfed out on their ears, but that was life.  The only thing that Articus had ever done right was to keep in with his stupid, bird brained mother. 

 

If there was one thing he knew it was that the only person Colonel Brandon could ever have execute his will properly was that Fitzwilliam Darcy.  But he knew that the hatred run deep there, he had after all made sure of it, and Colonel Brandon was a stupid mean spirted little shit, who had promised him the role of executor of his estate after his death.  He also knew that the colonels wife would have fits of despair if Brandon allowed Darcy anywhere near the estate after his death.  He had even seen the will when Brandon had placed it in Gringotts vaults.  It was so simple when a person ensured that their wills and last testaments ensured that he gained control of their estate.  No there would be no reason to stop the Goblins from holding the will reading ceremony.  In fact he couldn’t wait to see the eldest child Tom Riddle and his sisters faces when they realised that he was going to throw them out of the house.  

 

There’s a knock tom his office door, and Dumbledore opened the door to admit entrance to Professor McGonagall, Brandon’s eldest and the new head of the Governors.  Dumbledore just stopped from rolling his eyes or telling the mundane bitch to go to hades, after all he still needed the headship of Hogwarts so he guide the lead the next generation of magical children on his path.  He also needed the enormous salary that the position came with,   he had made sure over the years that the salary he got allowed him to live in the style he had become accustomed to.

 

McGonagall looked white and dramatically stated “Albus there seems to be a problem!”

“Minerva! What on earth has happened?  One of the students has perhaps died” Dumbledore questioned with concern and worry laced into his voice.

 

“No! Headmaster” Tom answered for McGonagall “It seems that my brother was subject to date rape by one Mary Prewitt and she is now pregnant with his child”

 

“But we didn’t know….if we had knew then we would have taken all measures to stop it” Dumbledore flustered

 

“Really Albus!  Because according to my niece Lilly Evans…she told you her concerns regarding Ms Molly Prewitt and Articus, and to quote her you laughed in her face when she brought concerns to you and your deputies that not only was sex  being silently condoned by the teaching establishment.  But that her fears regarding Ms Prewitt using substances to rape Mr Brandon was just her mundane bourgeois mind, and that the magical world was a lot more permissive in their viewpoints regarding issues such under age children having unprotective premarital sex, , and that the magical society condoned the use of drugs to permit the rape of witches or wizards!”

 

“Ms Evans is lyi….” Dumbledore countered

“DO NOT UTTER ANOTHER WORD DUMBLEDORE.  YES LILLY CAN BE A HANDFUL AND A SPOILT BRAT, BUT SHE IS NOT LYING OVER THIS………we have memory of the incident in your office with you and the deputy headmistress”  Pearl furiously cut in to Albus answer

 

“As well as the letters she sent her sister and cousin Severus Snape,  She told her sister about her worries regarding the issue of witches being allowed in the boys rooms and your response to it…to Severus she just kept him updated of what was going on and telling him that Arthur was falling under Marys spell as it were…..Severus keeps all his correspondence and showed me the letters when he overheard our conversation regarding this matter”

 

Dumbledore blanched, how could the stupid, stupid bitch Mary Prewitt manage to get pregnant whilst still in school!   Why hadn’t the little mud blood bitch just kept quiet about their conversation in the matter, after all without the letters and memories then the whole incident would blow over in time, and his plans for the Brandon/Weasley fortune would have panned out.  But this was the worst possible news

 

“Where is your father?” asked Albus, hoping that the man was just coming in to the meeting later.  If that was the case then Albus could still turn this round to his advantage, after all the man loved his family and would ensure that Articus and now his family would be looked after!

 

“In hospital after having a massive Stroke when he heard the news!  He was seriously ill before this, but the news that his son had been date raped and the school condoned the action of the rapist nearly killed him.  We are hoping that with time he will recover some resemblance of a normal life, but my uncle Fitzwilliam Darcy is now taking over as regent and executer of the estate as named in my fathers will!” Tom spat out bitterly “I hope my father lives, because if he doesn’t then I will personally hunt you down and kill you for murdering him in all but name!  I am here to escort my errant brother back to the family, and Mary Prewitt is requested back at her family’s home…..so all concerned parties in the families can try to sort out the mess”

 

Pearl smirked at Albus and handed Albus and his deputy letters “This is the letter to inform you that Mr Fitz William Darcy will be taking over Colonel Brandon position as school governor.  Unfortunately as a school board we can’t dismiss you Albus, because you have life long tenure as headmaster of Hogwarts unless you are arrested for a crime.  But…” with this Pearl handed Minerva a letter “ We can dismiss you Professor McGonagall as a professor and deputy headmaster of Hogwarts school for gross misconduct …. there is no way that the NEW BOARD OF GOVENORS WILL CONDONE THE BEHAVIOUR THAT THE PREVIOUS ADMISSION ALLOWED!...you have till the end of the day Minerva to clear your desk and office and leave Hogwarts”  Pearl then looked at Albus and continued “I will be in contact over the Yule tide holidays to inform you of the date of the emergency board of governors meeting….TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE And our other concerns we have….Good day!  and with that Pearl and Tom left the headmasters office, to track the Articus and Mary down so they could be escorted home to their families!

 

All Albus could hear was the quiet sobbing of his deputy head over her sacking after over forty years of teaching the students of Hogwarts.  He was furious that his plans and pawns were being destroyed by the enemy, at this rate if he wasn’t careful then he could lose the wizarding war even before it had begun. 


	7. Hogwarts school govenors/parents meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hogwarts school has its first parents and govenors meeting, of course Dumbledore is able to persuade everybody that his point of view is correct and fair - pity the mundane and magical press is in attendance

Andromeda Black spat at Lilly “Because of you! Mudblood Bitch I have been recalled home……you couldn’t just keep your thoughts to yourself….you had to involve the head of the governors! Bitch” Lilly sat there at the library desk and closed her eyes to the tirade.Well at least she was in the same house as Andromeda Black sister to her best friend Bella and Narcissa.Their houses code and rules forbid direct attacks upon a housemate, but that still left indirect attacks of course.

 

Thank Merlin there was only a week left of school before theChristmas break, ever since Mary Prewitt and Articus Black had bent sent home at the beginning of the week, Lilly’s life had been hell literally.Three quarters of the school had been outraged that Professor McGonagall had been sacked by the board of governors, which had of course meant that the Vulture house were after her blood.

 

What had appeared to make it worse was that parents mundane and magical were recalling their children home, when they found out about the clandestine arrangements and sex in the other three houses.Parents were demanding explanations regarding the allowance of female pupils into male pupils rooms.One mundane parent had threatened to go to the papers over the matter and was already petitioning the mundanes government ministry of education to finally take over Hogwarts as a state run school and sack Dumbledore over his mishandling off the students.

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For once Magical parents and families were opened mouth in astonishment at the meeting that had been called by headmaster Dumbledore in his brothers establishment “to sort out this minor problem” as he explained it.The school governors had called a proper meeting in a mundane hotel on the outskirts of Glasgow, and in attendance was the new school body, the head of houses, Dumbledore, Gringotts representative and representative from the two governments, mundane and magical.

 

Dumbledore had waltzed into the meeting late as usual, making a dramatic entrance.The meeting had already started and the new head of the governors introduced Albus to the meeting.Albus recognised the prominent traditional magical families, the new governing board and the minister of magic and his retinue.The rest of the attendees to the meeting were beneath his notice, though he was pleased to note that there attending were some of his supporters who off spring were attending Hogwarts.

 

Dumbledore excused himself with “Sorry I am late but I had to attend to more important matters than this rather silly meeting” with that Albus sat down next to the stupid little mundane bitch, that would show her and the minister who was the most important person in the room!

Pearl acknowledged Albus late arrival with “So glad you could finally make the meeting to discuss the future of the Hogwarts….the school that you are after all employed to run to the best of your ability”Albus smiled condescendingly at her, perhaps now she was rueing the day she tried to cross him, she was but an amateur in political games where he was a master manipulator.

Pearl smiled at the intake of breath from the audience and the furious scribbling and cameras that had caught every single moment of the meeting and Albus arrival.

 

Pearl as the Head of the Governors outlined the situation that they had found when they took control of the Hogwarts.She also made sure to explain that the British mundane government whilst funding the school had no control of its running.

 

Dumbledore had stood up then and said in his I am so wise and voice of reason grandfatherly voice “It is unfortunate that children like to experiment! But as the mundane parents here know many of their daughters find themselves pregnant at the ages of twelve or thirteen.We have tried to keep the sexes separate but mundane nature always finds a way around obstacles I have observed!”It was at that moment that Pearl with a nod from the mundane government representatives open the floor to questions.It had been a blood bath, and who in their right mind had invited the mundane national press was a mystery.Of course Pearl really should have told Dumbledore and the magical ministries that she had invited the mundane parents as well to the meeting.

 

A black mundane man stood wearing a clerical collar and started the ball rolling “My name is Minster Black, are you implying that mundanes are sex mad hooligans Headmaster?”

 

A white mundane woman stood up “Your deputy McGonc assured me and my husband that your school followed the most strict moral codes.That the children were taught co-ed but their dormitories would be single sexed…and now you are telling us mundane parents that children are sexed crazed monsters”

“I PAY TWICE AS MUCH TO SEND PRISCELLA TO YOUR SCHOOL AS OUR WILLIAM, who will be a lord when I die and I find out that the British Government is funding the school!So where is my and other parents money going to…..I supposed in your and your deputies pockets”

 

Another mundane parent stood up and addressed the panel “I FOR ONE WANT A FULL ACCOUNTING OF THE SHOOL FUNDS FOR AT LEAST THE PASS TEN YEARS”

Another voice was heard to demand “SURELY IF HOGWARTS IS BEING FULLY FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT…THEN IT SHOULD BE INSPECTED BY ITS REGULATING BODY OFSTED”

Pearl answered thisquestion “Of course as the Head of the New board of Governors we are asking OFSTED to come and inspect Hogwarts school, as a governing body we were very surprised and upset to see apparent many instances of poor teaching and disciplining of pupils”As she stopped to take a sip of water.

Darcy cleared his throat and proceeded to say “We are trying with the current school staff to try to improve the school……and that is why we have asked for OFSTED to audit the school and tell us not only of the school failures but it success as well…so we can go forward to insure Hogwarts becomes a well-run and top academic school”

 

Lord Orion Black who had attended the meeting at the instance of his bonded and Bella’s father was just about to say his piece when a mundane parent stood up and demanded “I demand the resignation of Headmaster Dumbledore.I know that nearly all the mundane parents are in agreement with me…..we cannot have a man that insists mundane children are bought up to be little than rutting animals in charge of our children…..THIS IS THE MAN THAT SAID MY ANNABELLE DESERVED TO GET PREGNANT BECAUSE AS A MUNDANE SHE HAD LED ON A MAGICAL STUDENT…..WE ARE LUCKY THAT THE RAPE NEVER AMOUNTED TO A PREGNANCY THANK GOD”

 

Another man stood up and said “You warn your girls about being affected by date rape drugs when they go out to parties at the age of eighteen…..but you do not expect to have to warn your son that he could be raped by a witch using date rape drugs at school!”Dumbledore was just about to comment on this statement when the man’s wife stood up an spitting fire stated “MY SON IS THIRTEEN AND A HOMOSEXUAL….THAT MAN THERE SUGGESTED THAT HE HAD A MUNDANE DISEASE THAT MADE HIM ACT UNNATURALLY SEXUALLY AND THAT HE JUST NEEDED A GOOD WITCH TO SHOW HIM WHAT TO DO…..HE (pointing her finger at Dumbledore) ALLOWS RAPE, BULLYING AND HOMPHOBIC BEHAVIOUR AT HOGWARTS…..I DEMAND THAT HE BE REMOVED FROM HIS POSITION”there was comments of agreement form the mundane part of the audience.

 

A man stood up and said “My name is William Tonks….and as a muslim I am devastated to find out the teaching staff at Hogwarts condoned a sexual relationship between my son Ted and a young lady.How do you think the young lady’s parent feel about the situation, and now to hear that the magical world views mundanes as little more that illiterate and rutting animals is an insult.Because of the teaching staffs behaviour my son and this young lady have most probably ruined their lives and reputations…..Me and the family just don’t know how we go forward now, instead of Ted having a care free life to concentrate on his future career as the first doctor in our family..…he will now have to start his post Hogwarts life married to a lady he had a quick fling with and the responsibilities of married life, his and his wife's will be a lot harder because of the mismanagement of the school…because this man and his staff couldn’t be bothered to condone immoral sexual behaviour”

 

A man stood up and asked “Jameson Editor of the SUN and Time mundane papers……In the interest of our readers of course.Will the British Government be taking control of the failing school Hogwarts of witches and wizards and assisting the new board of governors to turn the school around academically etc?”

 

“Markston from the SKY News programme……..Is this the independent school that British parliament has just voted to forcible take over and control?.....If so when will the British Government be in control of the school?”

 

The British mundane government junior minister cleared his throat and astounded all the magical parents attending the meeting “Yes! I am afraid that Hogwarts is the school that the Government has had to take back control off…..It was with great sadness that Parliament had to vote on this course of action…It was because of the report from the new board of governors….. Who the government have 100% complete faith in that this drastic action was deem warranted…..Of course the Education ministry will be with the governing body assisting the school staff to improve Hogwarts standards across the board……We need the children of both societies mundane and magically to be able to work and live in our multi-cultural society as equals to the mundane inhabitants…it was with sadness that it has come to our attention that Hogwarts is not only at the academically bottom of the independent magical schools…but is also academically bottom of the mixed magical and mundane government run schools….this means to put it bluntly that its academic and disciplinary record is worse than the poorest badly run state run in Britain and this with the current crisis of teenage pregnancies at the school now and previous have as I said made the government take action…..We as a the lawful elected government cannot condone the poor standards of this failing school and my esteemed colleague the shadow minister for education is in agreement”

 

A woman sitting next to the mundane minister of Education cleared her throat and commented “It is not often that all parties of HM Government are in agreement, but we are saddened and ashamed not only of the non-existent standards at Hogwarts school….But that over three quarters of normal magical are ever educated formerly………It appears that the previous school of governors allowed certain rich families and magical ministry supporters to be provided with scholarships whilst denying the majority of children an education however badly…..So to the end from the 10th of January next year and with the blessing and co-operation of the new school governing body all children in the Britain will be entitled to a good free education….letters etc. will be going to the concerned families and our financial partners Gringotts have ensured that the scholarships are awarded to children that are in need and not because theirfamilies are influential or powerful in the magical world!”

 

The new bank of England manager cleared his throat and the Goblin launched into his well-rehearsed script, after all he was the perfect time to get the mundane public on the Goblins side “We have of course with our financial partners the British mundane Government agreed that all children mundane or magical will for free have their blood linage checked to see whether they are descended from the family lines that appear to have died out, for a Mundane British 10p the Goblin nation offer this service to all adults in the British Isles, to make it easier for people to be able to have the test completed….we are with the royal post office and banks allowing the tests to be carried out!...details will of course be published in both the mundane and magical press”

 

A man rose and said “Flinch from ITV news co-operation…It there any foundation to the rumours in the city of Westminster that the Goblin nation is closing its Gringotts branch in Diagon Ally”

 

The Goblin smiled its shark like smile and replied “I am afraid because of more pressing business requirements and rising costs the Goblin nation has decided to down grade Gringotts bank to a counter in the new Tesco shop that will be opening in January in Knockdown alley, the shop will not only be a one stop purchase for all your daily needs but will also have a royal post office service.I believe that the royal mail as it is called can deliver most letter for under 15 sickles, of course this is much lower than the current cost of owl postage!”

 

“Barrowclough from the BBC News corporation……the government is to ensure that all secondary school age children have a formal education….but what about the younger magical children, my sources have informed me that there appears to be incredible poverty amongst magical people and that there is no formal education for any magical child under the age of eleven”

 

The minister of education smiled and said “Of course when we were informed of this terrible state of affairs inthe magical society we tried to help our colleagues in the magical ministry….But they have refuse to listen or take advice and so it with great sadness that our monarch HM Queen as instructed us with the full support of British Parliament to offer all parents of any child in the British Isles financial support and a formal education from the age of four years old….there is of course a cost to this for the magical parents”the minster quickly looked around and was pleased to note that all the press were furiously scribbling down his speech including the reporter from the magical newspaper the Prophet, he took a slip of water to prolong the moment and continued “To be able to access the services that all mundane British residents and citizens can, I am afraid the magical adults must register as British Citizens and swear allegiance to the crown, they must also relinquish all rights of citizenship to the magical society…they can of course keep any assets they have…….”

 

“Of course all British citizens have the right to free education, free healthcare, access to welfare benefits if they need them and of course the right to vote to elect their governmental representative”The shadow minister interrupted, she looked at her opposing colleague and they both shared a knowing smile, the meeting was going better than they planned.The only people who will want to stay with the magical society would be the light fraction and the government had plans for them after Dumbledore had been sorted, however long that took.

 

“Buttercup minister, reporter for the prophet…….one question our readers will need answering before deciding whether to leave magical society……is it true that the police service and law courts are unbiased and fair” Before she could continue Lord Orion Black found himself asking the question “What she is asking is…..does everybody get a fair trial, and is there hardly any deaths or brutality in your aurors care?”

 

The two mundane politicians looked at each other wondering whether their answer to the question would clinch the exodus of magicals to mundane society, the minster took a deep breath and answered “We as a society take the care and wellbeing of all citizens seriously, this includes people who are suspected of breaking our laws and the law breakers.We have always condoned any unnecessary violence by our police or aurors as you call you police…….even though we do not condone abuse of prisoners or suspect there will always be police officers and other persons in authority who decide to abuse the people put in their care…..when this is brought to our attention then the government and its agencies investigate these isolated incidences thoroughly, ensuring that any guilty party is punished by the law of the land”

 

“What about deaths in custody and the imprisonment and execution of prisoners sanctionedby the chief warlock, DMLE minister and the minster of magic…..do you have the same system?” Lord Potter asked

 

The minster looked shocked and answered “Everybody in mundane Britain has the absolute right to a fair trial before their peers in a courtroom, or before a magistrate if the crime is minor in nature….execution of prisoners has been outlawed since the 1960’s for all crimes except for serious cases of treason against the crown! And these conditions and rights will of course be applicable to all citizens of the mundane British Government whether they are mundane or magical….or even if they have what is termed in magical society creature blood!” and with these words being printed for all magical citizens to read or hear, the exodus to the mundane society would become a stampede of most of the magical society to leave the authority of the magical ministry and become citizens of the British mundane society as quickly as possible.

 

Dumbledore sat at the head table dumb founded, no way could he allow his magical people the choice that the mundane government officials had outlined.He had to act quickly, after all his power base was the subjection of British magical society to his will.He knew what was for best of magical society, not these mundane officials.Suddenly he was startled by a shouting from the audience

 

“SO WHEN IS DUMBLEDORE BEING GIVEN HIS MARCHING ORDERS” a voice shouted out from the audience.

 

Pearl cleared her throat and just stopped herself from smirking when she answered “I am afraid that the ministry of magic has given headmaster Dumbledore life long tenure in his post….it appears that this has always been one of the conditions that Hogwarts has when appointing its head teachers….apparently the founders thought that this would allow the school to continue to grow and give stability to the future of the school”

 

"This is the headmaster that was informed by a student about the immoral behaviour of children in his school, and not only dismissed the claims but tried to bully the child to silence........and he has life lifelong tenure"

"This man condone bullying that students were allowed to hex and prank other students In class....leading to my daughter being blinded for life...and he can't be held responsible for the lack of care shown to his pupils"

“SO HE CAN NOT BE SACKED?” Pearl just shook her head in agreement with the statement from the floor, it was a very near thing that the minister for magic and his revenue just made it to the hotels doors and apparated away back to the ministry.

 

The Government representative sat back, they had done their work and given the magical community citizens a choice it was now just a waiting exercise to see how many magical citizens joined the mundane society, relinquishing all their rights in the magical society.

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Back at Hogwarts it now appeared that the governing board were reviewing all the school staff posts, all staff teaching or otherwise had temporary contracts till the end of the year.There had been an outcry when the rumour mill had been correct for once, Professors Flitwick and Pomona were under threat of losing their positions, they had already been relieved of their positions as head of their respective houses.Which meant that now more than three quarters of the student body wanted Lilly’s head on a platter.

 

To be fair her house held the biggest spontaneous house party when it had been announced that Professor Slughorn had been sacked immediately and a new Slytherin head of house had been appointed, she was a respected American potions master and scientist and with another newly appointed potions professor would be taking their classes.

 

But now it seemed that the head girl and ice queen of Slytherin wanted her head as well.Bella joined Lilly at their table and questioned “SO what did my darling sister want then?”

 

“My head on a platter it seems….she has been recalled home and ITS MY FAULT! Like everything is my fault that has happened since the Articus incident” Lilly sighed

 

“No it isn’t Lily! But the others have to blame someone and your it for telling on the immoral behaviour happening in other houses!At least this way the families concerned can manage the fallout and subsequent problems the idiots have caused them….what would happen in a mundane family if you know…you became pregnant Lilly, would it be accepted as the norm as Andromeda keeps telling us?”Bella asked

 

“GOD NO!......PREGNANAT!......families would have to deal with it of course…. depending upon your culture, religion and upbringing mundane families will put the child up for adoption….some couple are forced to marry or bond as you put it…some families bite the bullet and help the daughter bring the child up…. BUT NO BODY IS HAPPY OR ESTATIC IF A TEENANGER BECOMES PREGNANT!....I mean if you are going to have sex, then at least use a good conception method…but for most teenagers the last thing they want or need is be parents at such a young age…the stigma, lack of freedom and responsibility for a child….NO!NO!NO…I think Conrad might kill me, raise me from the dead and kill me again..for even thinking of having sex before my eighteenth birthday…and then there is the fact that to have sex with a child under the age of consent is illegal in Britain, which means in mundane Britain the age of eighteen!”

 

“So Andromeda and the rest of the recalls are spouting false facts about the mundane world again!” Bella stated angrily.She looked at her nails and Lilly knew that Bella wanted to ask her a favour, it was one of Bella’s tells that Lilly had learnt during the past few months.Lilly put her pen down and asked Bella what was wrong as diplomatically as she could

 

“Lilly!...things are going to be heated at home this yule tide with the Andromeda situation coming to light!And….”Lilly waited patiently for Bella to continue, whatever the favour that Bella wanted from Lilly.Lilly now understood that she had to be diplomatic into agreeing to it if she could “Mummy has written to me and Narcissa and asked us to perhaps stay at Hogwarts or a friends this Yule…because things at home will be so intense at present….what with the slight that Andromeda has given to Lord Orion Black this time….so I was hop….”

 

“You knowBella….I was afraid to ask if you spend Christmas hols with me this year.I mean Petunia has her friends and so does everybody else in my extended family….but living most of the year here and with my attitude last summer I will be so alone…so I really wanted to ask you to come home for the hols but I knew that the Yuletide was such a big celebrational festival in the magical society…that I didn’t want to ask you as you would have to pi…”Lilly interrupted Bella.Bella’s face lit up, and she asked “Really Lilly!....you really wanted me to spend Yuletide with you and your new family….even before the Andromeda problem?” Bella asked hopefully.Lilly nodded and added “Ask Jaws and Harry if you want….they WERE THE ONES TO DISSUADE ME FROM ASKING YOU, especially since Lucius and Regulas told them how important the Yuletide period is to you traditional followers”Bella cried in happiness and agreed to spend Yuletide with Lilly, to keep her on the straight and narrow of course.After all what are good friends for.

 

Now came the difficult part thought Lilly telling her new guardians that she was bringing her best friend home for the Christmas holidays.She just hoped Harry and Co backed her up over the small white lie she had told Bella.After all Lilly understood that Bella would do anything for the people she called family and friends, but hated to ask for anything herself.

 

Lilly’s head hit the table in frustration when she saw Harry walk angrily into the Library and straight to their table with Jaws in tow “So Lilly! Cousin dearest” spat out Harry “When was you going tell us that Alice McDonald and her bitches had physically assaulted you when your detention with Flitwick ended last Monday?”

“Harry it was nothing! Just a few words said in anger…I can cope”

Bella interrupted “How did the Hamlet trio manage to get you alone Lilly? After all my loving sister Andromeda was supposed to escort you to the snake house after Flitwick’s detention.Seeing as she offered to escort you back to the house after the detention….if she has let you run the gauntlet of the vulture wake”

“Bella! Andromeda apparently had something more important to do that night and it was only a few bitchy words the Hamlet trio said?” Lilly tried to defuse the situation that could quickly spiral out of control

 

“So the fact that Flitch gave the trio a week’s detention with him when school starts back up.For and I quote ‘Hexing and physical mundane bullying in the corridor’ against you was nothing”Harry stated

“Lilly! Even Dumbledore couldn’t override the punishment this time, the girls have been suspended till the first week of classes next year…..their parents were called and everything!”Jaws helpfully supplied to the conversation.Lilly admitted defeat and just shook her head, she should have known that Andromeda betrayal of the third house rule would be found out.

 

Narcissa strolled in the room with Violet Goyle and joined in the conversation “So Andromeda decided to have FUN with that idiot Ted Tonks then do her duty as an elder Snake!”Narcissa exchanged silent looks with Bella and Bella continued the explanation “Lord Black has found out that Andromeda is having apparent intimate relations with the Huff Ted Tonks…….She has been recalled so the family can decide her future…….This means that….”

 

“That she has ruined our futures Bella….well not mine, as Lucius has already agreed to bond with me, no matter the out come…in fact Andromeda has done us a favour by throwing their bonding agreement in our families faces….But you Bella….by doing this…Andromeda has limited your options..especially since people believe you are cursed with the nigrum insania dementius… Bella….It was hoped that if we made good bonding’s then daddy would be able to find someone to love and adore you!”

 

Bella looked at her sister with tears in her eyes and whispered “It’s alright sister….I knew that my condition meant nobody would want to willingly bond with me!After all who wants an insane consort who sees make believe ghosts and behaves as a very old disorganised witch….let’s be honest I would just be an embarrassment to them…sometimes I can’t even speak coherently”Before Bella could run off and hide, Lilly made their excuses and took Bella to their dormitory room and comforted her until Bella fell asleep in her arms.

 

How could people only see the apparent madness that plagued Bella at times, most times Bella was the wise and strong one.The one who had the adventurous spirit and backed her friends and family up more than hundred percent.The one who had patiently explained the new confusing world that Slytherin house was, and the one who had never let Lilly be bullied on her watch.

 

Lilly got up from the bed without disturbing Bella and went and wrote a letter to her guardians explaining and asking that she be allowed to bring her best friend Bella home for the Christmas holidays. 


	8. Tom and Articus ingheritance test

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy has arranged Articus to bond with a son from a traditional family, as part of the pre bonding agreement the Brandon sons must take the inheritance test. Why is Articus being forced to bond so quickly?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always like to have one of my favourite made up characters make an appearance in my stories-sorry

The day after the Hogwarts school public governors meeting  found Fitz William Darcy and his two nephews Articus Brandon and Tom Riddle waiting to see his account manager for magical inheritance tests that would show Articus magical linage, Darcy had decided to bite the bullet and ask for Tom to complete the test as well to ensure that there were no undiscovered problems in his line.  But the inheritance test Darcy knew was just a formality, both boys looked like their parents, with Tom almost being a double for his father when Christopher had been at his age.

 

Tom Riddle loved his father but knew that his father was ashamed of him, it was the only reason after all why the man had given his mundane name and not his magical name.  It didn’t matter really, they were father and son after all.    Tom was thinking of how his life had turned out, here he was in Gringotts having the inheritance test carried out, it was after all one of the conditions of the bonding agreement between Articus his younger brother and his intended Rodolphus LeStrange the heir and eldest son of the LeStrange family, the family were not powerful or influential in magical society, but they were rich and needed to be bonded with an old magical family which after all that is what the Weasley family were.

 

Tom’s uncle Fitz William Darcy had arranged that Articus was awarded the title of Weasley, he had spoken to all the Weasley sisters and had gained their agreement that for proprieties sake Articus would be given the family title that should have his cousins Mark Bingley’s.   It was quite fortunate that the LeStrange family did not want a bride price and were quite happy to bond to damaged goods.  The only stipulations had been this inheritance test of him and Articus, and that Articus was the legal submissive consort in the bonding

 

The three wizards were called into the appointment room.  They were called and escorted in to a very plush office, behind which sat the Goblin Trickster32ourenimies the Darcy financial manager. He had before him a pile of parchment, the traditional greetings were exchange.  Everybody sat down in the very plush chairs that had been provided. Trickster32ourenimies sat behind a large but functional desk, for the Goblins functionality always won over ornate.  On the table in front of the pile of parchment that Trickster32ourenimies sat, were two pieces of parchment and two bronze challis with corresponding ceremonial daggers, Tom saw that the inheritance in composite revealing potion was present as well.  Oh joys of joys, those bastards the LeStrange’s were going to ensure that he had no claim onto the Weasley family name now or in the future. 

 

A normal inheritance potion just stated which magical family blood lines you were from, the potions that the Goblins had been instructed to use, will reveal not only the magical family lines but their actual parents and subsequent adoptions if there were any.

 

Tom was impressed, his uncle was using the Darcy family personal Goblin manager to conduct this test.

 

Tom as the first born held out his hand, which the Goblin ritually cleansed and drew blood from the cut that he made with the dagger, five drops of his blood was placed in a chalice, then the Goblin added the potion.  While they were waiting for the reaction of the potion to the blood, his brother the idiotic Articus followed the same procedure.

 

The second Goblin that had entered the room when the three men had sat down swirled Toms chalice around three times and then upended it on the special parchment on the table. The parchment soaked in the potion and while they waited for his known inheritance line to become visible the goblin did the same with Articus chalice.

 

Articus parchment writing showed first and it was very simple

Articus Weasley nee Brandon

(B) 1984

(M) Lydia Brandon nee Weasley Fifth biological child and second son

Married to

(F) Cristopher Brandon (magical name)

Fifth Biological child and first son,

Second son due to adoption of first child

 

Sex – forced Omega by administration of illegal potions by Mary Prewitt

 

Maternal Grandparents

Articus Weasley (m) Martha Weasley

Both deceased

Paternal Grandparents

Charles Brandon (Steward to Darcy estate) m Nelly Brandon (Housekeeper to Darcy Estate)

And then his linage being recorded till before Merlin’s time

Godparents

Albus Dumbledore British Chief Warlock

Euphemia Potter

Minerva McGonagall

Augusta Longbottom

Audrey Prewitt

 

 

 

Tom looked at Darcy, what was going on he was his parents eldest biological child.  He should know he sat many a time listening to his father talking proudly about him to his muggle friends that had been from both his time in the muggle army and afterwards from his civilian mundane life.  How many times had his father told Tom that he was just like his brother all but in blood the man sat beside him, and proud he was of his accomplishments big or small.

 

How many times had he listened to his drunken mothers rantings about how he was just like his father her bonded.  A stuck up prig who despised the light leader her hero Albus Dumbledore, and how much more agreeable and malleable his brother Articus was.

 

The second Goblin coughed and everybody saw that Toms parchment was ready to be read, the following was listed

 

Tom Riddle

(B) 31st January 1960

(M) Lydia Brandon nee Weasley Fifth biological child and second son

Married to

Adopted father by quod cicum universum sanguinem adoption (illegal) 28 February 1963, Colonel Christopher Riddle (named changed by muggle deed poll) nee Brandon

Sole heir to adopted fathers mundane and muggle estate

All-encompassing blood adopted son

 

(Actual Father) Albus Bay Dumbledore Jr, chief warlock of Britain and International wizarding society.  Because of inheritance laws (due to murder of a family sibling) heir to  Dumbledore Lordship and family head after Aberforth Dumbledore. 

Maternal Grandparents

Articus Weasley (m) Martha Weasley

Both deceased

 

Adopted Paternal Grandparents

Charles Brandon (Steward to Darcy estate) m Nelly Brandon (Housekeeper to Darcy Estate)

Both deceased

 

Paternal Grandparents

Albus Bay Dumbledore Sr (Kissed for murder of twenty mundane boys) m Wilppena Dumbledore

Both deceased

 

Godparents

Mrs Muriel Brown muggle

Dr Hawkeye Pierce (Jr) muggle

Mary Weasley (spinster aunt)

Major (Dr)  Charles Emerson (Jr) muggle

Major Margaret Houlihan  muggle (m) Major (Dr)  Charles Emerson (Jr) muggle

 

And then his linage back to before merlin’s time, with a foot note at the bottom of the parchment

 

Potion Master 1st class Wang Wei cracker Daukmarts brewer of quod cicum universum sanguinem adoption potion. 

 

Mrs Nelly Pickering

Retired Colonel Francis Moody

Elizabeth Darcy nee Weasley

Horace Slughorn potion master 3rd class keepers of unbreakable vow regarding the  quod cicum universum sanguinem adoption.

 

Tom looked at the parchment with incredibility, his biological father was the arse hole Dumbledore.  How, why and had the bloody hell had it happened.  His adopted father had known and tried to cover the fact up, by illegally blood adopting him, but why would he have to try to hide the fact that he had adopted him.  All magical people knew that the potion his father had used, somehow changed what the mundanes had named a persons DNA to the adopted  parent.  It was illegal to brew and use, because unless this particular revealing ritual was conducted, the child would always be seen as the parents blood born child.  His father had been destined to being kissed or life in Azkaban if anybody had found out about the adoption.

 

Then Tom realised that his real father had always loved him as his own son, never once had he treated him differently to his half siblings.  The man loved him so much that he had made him his heir to his estate, and gave him his hard won respected muggle name and not his despised magical name.

 

There was an sharp intake of breath and Tom heard his uncle swear under his breath.  Darcy sat by his nephew Tom shocked and perplexed by the parchments revealment of Toms parentage.  Christopher his father’s stewards son and favourite who had turned out everybody believed to a never do well.

 

All through the years that he had known Christopher, Christopher had wanted and plotted to take what was rightfully Darcy’s.  Spreading slander and lies throughout certain parts of society about him.  Christopher had almost ensured that his adored bonded Elizabeth had not given him a second chance.  Christopher had tried to force his younger sister Georgina to bond with him, to get control of her fortune, when Darcy had managed to stop that happening.  Christopher had somehow managed to become an auror and then the subsequent elopement with Elizabeth sister from Brighton.  It had taken by this time a very contrite Darcy a lot of money etc. to ensure that the two had bonded, and that the Brandon’s had been provided for financially. He had also managed with the help of the Weasley aunt and uncle Gardner hush up the elopement from most of polite society.  Allowing Lydia’s other sister’s to bond well, except for Kitty who never bond to her true love of the time Lord Frank Longbottom Sr, although she had bonded to the old retired head of DMLE colonel Francis Moody.    Moody had been forced to retire when he wouldn’t just allow auror brutality in the ministry’s cells, or make suspects disappear quickly for the good of society.

 

But after the bonding of the Brandon’s, they had disappeared from society.  Christopher had resigned his auror commission and then nothing was heard until the Brandon’s made an appearance just before their second son was born. 

 

Everybody in their extended family had just been grateful that the Brandon’s seemed to be adequately provided for, and that except for Articus the rest of their children seemed levelled headed and well raised.  But ever since Darcy had been given the power of attorney over the Brandon’s estate, he had been floored by how wealthy Christopher had become.  And Darcy knew the wealth had been hard won as the mundanes said.  He had also found by looking at the instructions that Christopher had left in case he died or was ever incapacitated on how his children would be provided for.   The reason that Articus had to bond with the strict old way followers Lestranges was that Christopher had left him no inheritance, just a lifelong tenancy of a decrepit building in Devon called the Burrow and the his despised Brandon his magical name.  Christopher had written to Darcy a request that is possible Articus be allowed to inherit the Weasley title, over the acknowledged heir his cousin Mark Bingley.  Luckily for Articus the Bingley’s children were just as easy going as their parents his sister in law Jane Bingley and her husband and his best friend Charles Bingley, Mark had given up the title with good grace allowing the solution to Articus shameful behaviour.  His shameful behaviour after all had severely limited the options the stupid boy had to just the LeStrange bonding agreement. 

 

Perhaps Christopher was trying to make Articus wake up and become like him, a self-made respected man, even though that respect had been from his mundane contemporaries.  Well he would be having a very long and overdue conversation with his brother in law Christopher if the man ever recovered enough to speak to them! About a few facts that had come to light, and Tom would be having the same conversation with his father as well, if the mans shocked face was any indication.  But it looked like the first people they would be talking to would be Kitty’s husband, his bonded and the woman who Tom had started calling Aunt Muriel after Articus bonding day tomorrow.

 

Articus looked with disbelief at his brothers parchment, according to the facts listed there he was the rightful heir to his father’s estate! Not the bastard offspring that his father had blood adopted.  But no his father the now saintly Colonel Brandon had ensured that his life had been enslaved to a very strict old way following family.  He could close his eyes and still hear his father’s rebukes and disappointed reactions to his problems he had encountered throughout his life.  The tirade of why couldn’t he be like perfect git Tom never seemed to get old from his father, or that one day his father wouldn’t be there to guide or save him from his foolish actions.   But things had really headed south when the old fool had nearly died from a massive stroke, brought on his uncle had stated by the news of Mary Prewitt date raping him at Hogwarts, so to save his sisters reputation he was being bonded to the LeStrange Son.  When he had complained at the unfairness of his treatment, he was told that this was the price of his and the teaching staffs behaviour at Hogwarts.   He had not followed the established traditions whilst at Hogwarts, so the girl was insisting that the sexual fling was consensual and the subsequent child wanted by them and that Articus had agreed to take the potions that she had secretly given him.

 

Dumbledore had assured him that he would have the power, fortune and respect that his father had acquired.  It had been Dumbledore who had assured him that he had been named as executor of his fathers will or named as power of attorney if his father became to incapacitated.  All Articus had to do was follow his Godfather and his plans, which had included giving him the control of his inheritance.  So Articus had not been worried when the school bike Mary Prewitt had become pregnant after dousing him with love and conception potion.  He had known that his father for all his bluster and warnings would never allow one of his children to suffer, he would have allowed the bonding between himself and Mary and ensured that his family was well provided for.  But the old fool had only gone and had a stroke and left his future in the hands of his priggish and prideful uncle Darcy.  

 

How quickly the slut had changed her mind when her family was dangled by his uncle not only financial compensation, but the arrangement of their daughter bounding to a very remote and rich Darcy cousin.  Of course the fact that Mary had been presented with either bonding the Egyptian wizard quickly or being imprisoned in Azkaban for rape and line theft of a lord may have ensured that the family saw things his uncles way.  No he had what Dumbledore and Mary Prewitt had planned the Weasley family title, but nothing else now except a life as omegas consort and the bearer of the LeStrange heir.  It was official his life was now over, and his bastard half sibling had all what was rightfully his inheritance!

 

Darcy’s Goblin manager looked at the three shocked faces in front of him and asked “Mr Darcy, Do you want Colonel Riddle financial manager to still advice on his estate and assets, Thickone as his account manager will have knowledge about the Colonels estate and vaults?”  Darcy quickly agreed to the suggestion, and requested that the Goblin now be made full time manager  of the Riddle and work as his deputy financial manager on the Darcy estate as well, after all if the Goblin had advised and looked after Christopher’s financial assets then he was worthwhile snagging as a full time manager.

Darcy looked at Tom, and shudder went through them both.  For whatever had made the Trickster32ourenimies smile like he had personally dissected a still breathing enemy in front of them was obviously not good news for the poor Riddles account manager he had apparently just shafted.

 

Trickster32ourenimies smirked at Mr Darcy’s answer to his question, it had taken him years to be able to shaft his brother Thickone in the back, and bring respect to his bonded and family.   For years Trickster32ourenimies had watched as his brother Thickone had hoodwinked not only his immediate family but the whole of the goblin society as well.

 

No matter what Trickster32ourenimies said about his brothers scandalous work ethic, he had been told that Thickone was just to thick to even entertain the suggestions that Trickster32ourenimies told family and his superiors.  But no more, now Thickone would get the recognition he deserved and warranted, and also hard work that went with the kudos of managing a successful and powerful clients account.  After all there was only five very wealthy wizarding families in British societies and the Darcy and combined families accounts, had with the incorporation of the Riddle accounts catapulted the family not only to the number one spot of the wealthiest British wizarding families spot, but had snagged the wizarding world number one spot.

 

The Goblins had a reputation for being underhanded sneaky, in love with money, Dumbledore had once said not in jest, a goblin would sell their own mother to make a profit. No they wouldn’t, as they would tell you they weren’t frengi, no they saw, money and the power it brought as a way to stabilize magical society. They were an honorable race and culture, once you gave money or belongings to a Goblin for safe keeping, nobody but you (and sometimes not even you) would get their hands on it. They understood why Dumbledore had decided to destroy them and categorize them with the dark creatures, it was because they had never allowed him to get his thieving hands on other people’s money.

But one unknown thing about Goblins, was they were a literal and logical thinking race, they would give Vulcans or young Severus Brown a run for their money, they didn’t do fantasy or make believe. Goblins weren’t stupid per say, they knew individual’s, cultures etc. could and would lie, cheat to get their way, Dumbledore was a case in point.

Now the Goblins unbeknownst to the wizards had kept up to date with mundanes and their technology, they had found television, dvd players, satellites etc. Because they were a literal race, they believed what they saw from the television, they had watch all the documentary’s, including the human history ones (darth vader, sky lukewalker, yodi) and whilst they found them fascinating, the documentary’s they watch the most were the ones about the human future, including the space ship USS Enterprise, James Kirk, Spock the big Goblin, Romulans warlike Goblins, yes they wanted to help the muggles to realize and gain their future, and to this end they had a plan. It had also helped that they had made even more money by investing in the mundane economy.

The plan included, gaining power, making the mundane governments unite, bring world peace (a bit tricky that one they admitted), investing in the space technology, uniting mundane and magical communities in Britain. Oh they had a plan, and best of all they knew that the mundanes would appreciate them.

But first they had to make sure that all the underhand practices and illegal operations were discouraged, it would take time but they would get there, and what made it all the better for the Goblins nation was that the mundane governments treated their expertise with the reverence it deserved. Take the new chancellor, he would do what he was told, they would ensure that the British economy was run in the most profitable way, oh yes the future was looking bright. Today Britain’s economy, in the next five to ten years they had set their sights on running the European Economy, they would show the Germans efficiently, and then they would take on the world. They had reasoned with them running the world’s economy and the vampires in charge of the worlds and countries laws and constitutions, then between them they would be able to run the mundane world society effectively together, allowing the mundanes the freedom to do what they did best, invent and propel the worlds society for ever forward towards the great future that they knew was out there, for all of them.

Goblins like one of their hero, Spock, never lied always told the truth, just because they made the truth sometimes lie for them, was a minor detail. No Thickone knew he was thick, it didn’t take a genius really, when at his naming ceremony when he was ten, his parents had as per tradition named him after his most obvious trait. For many Goblins this usually meant names as Ironclaw, throatripper, wiseone, massive lunchbox, bastard auditor etc, but his parents following tradition had named him for his best known trait his thickness, and it didn’t mean the width of his manhood. A Goblin had at least two names, the first one only family knew and used, the main one used was what a Goblin was named at ten.

Now Thickone had as a child watched his favourite British history documentary Claudius the God, and had taken the advice given to young Claudius to heart which had been to ensure that other people under estimated you. He would admit that his parents and family were correct, he was thick, but he had ensured that everybody understood that not only was he thick, but at a cretin’s level of thickness. He had a good easy life, he only worked on average six to eight hours a day, his accounts he managed were for the poorest of the goblins customers that managed to always be in credit.

 

He had even become the financial manager for the wizard Christopher Brandon after his brother in law had bailed him out financially again.  Christopher had given the ultimate control of finances to Thickone at the time, and Thickone had been amazed when Christopher had taken his advice.  He was also in awe of the man, when he instructed Thickone to give at least the mundane tithe of 10% of his estate to what Thickone had deemed were deserving causes.  Many times Thickone had been able to ensure a poor wizarding child was able to attend Hogwarts,  when he broached Christopher about funding the poor students through their schooling he had always waved him away with the comment “Just tell them it is a scholarship…and ensure that the scholarship includes all the relevant clothes etc”

 

Christopher had fully funded the wizarding orphanage in Knockdown alley since he was financially able to.  When Thickone had tried to get Christopher to be acknowledged as the financial provider for the orphanage instead of Dumbledore who always boasted about giving the orphans money.  Christopher had replied “Do what my wife’s family the Darcy’s and others do, if they make a big dance and song about giving money and resources to the charities they support then follow through with naming me as a financial sponsor, if not don’t!”   But it was not only the magical charities that had benefited from Christopher’s generosity, it was mundanes charities and organizations that he had supported through the years.

Christopher had allowed Thickone to help the poor clients that he was given by the Goblin management to manage.  These clients were the poorest of magical society and would never be allowed loans normally by the Goblins.  These clients of Thickone hated owing money to, anyone. Not for them loans, they had been brought up with second hand clothes, used books and items, having to miss meals to ensure that the rent was paid etc., Their parents ensured that the children could budget their money.

 

Very often these clients would ensure that their children attended Hogwarts school, to have the opportunities to get out of the all-encompassing poverty they had been born into!  And Thickone with Christopher’s silent financial support had been able to help his clients.  But now his older brother Trickster32ourenimies or Tricky for short had ensured that his easy life was over for good. 

After his brother the account manager for the Darcy estates had been asked to help Darcy with a problem concerning the ill-mannered loutish, light loving thick son Articus of Christopher, he had expected to be removed from the Riddles accounts. After all he had made sure that his reputation had always preceded him after all. 

 

So when he  had been asked to, report to the overall goblin bank manager. He expected to be removed from his the Riddle accounts, and his brother given the management of them as well as the Darcy’s accounts. 

He would still be able to have a nice relative boring stress less life. But what had his brother Tricky done, only made his life hell literally.  He had been informed him that they had been impressed with his intelligence that he kept hidden all these years.  Especially with the management of the Riddle estate and he was now promoted to be his brothers deputy on the now combined Darcy and Riddle estates.  But the killer as far as Thickone was concerned, he was now the account manager for one their most important magical/mundane customer one Colonel Riddle, and it was this hidden drive and intellect the goblins wished to utilize effectively. So no more part time working at the bank anymore, Thickone lamented he was working normal goblins twelve plus hour days six bloody days a week, and still taking work home with him. But at least his bonded and their family had proudly started to tell the rest of their community that his name Thickone had been in honor of the width of his manhood not the fact that he was thick!

 

Trickster32ourenimies cleared his throat “Perhaps it would be prudent to make Articus Weasley take an unbreakable vow, to ensure the secrecy regarding Mr. Tom Riddle and his unconventional adoption is kept”  Both Tom and Darcy readily agreed, and Articus was forced to take an unbreakable concerning the truth of Toms adoption.  Before the three men left the Goblins appointment room.

 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Darcy truly felt sorry for his nephew Articus but there was nothing more than he could do, but ensure the young man was bonded as quickly as possible to a son of a understanding traditional wizarding family. 

 

Natural omegas were very rare in wizarding society as were the corresponding Alphas.  Normally as in mundane society the vast majority of people were either heterosexual, homosexual, hermaphrodite  and even transgender were now being seen more since the mundane and muggle societies had become closer.  

There had never been problems regarding the bonding of same sex couple in magical families that followed the way and the old traditions.  They had though the years ensured their magical line had continued through the adoption, surrogate pregnancies etc.

But the new way followers of the light had deemed that only a child born of a legal bond could be considered the legitimate children of a family, according to their rules children born outside of a bonded union or adopted were not considered legitimate and could not inherit any titles or estates.  This had of course set up problems for new way families that had male gay wizards as their head of their families. A way round this was for the Gay wizard to marry a hermaphrodite or a forced omega who would bear and carry their children.

 

Normally a wizarding male couple could not have naturally have a child, but there were very rare instances of Omegas.  Omegas were male wizards who naturally submissive, and could child bear naturally.  A natural born Omega had the recessive Omegas gene present from both parents.   Natural Omegas were slightly and had a feminine build, their male gentile were small and infertile.  They had heats twice a year where they could only get pregnant at that time.   They could only bond with a natural Alpha, and once bonded the Alpha marked his omega and cherished him.   

 

For many prominent wealthy male gay wizards who required a heir to continue their family line, they wanted to bond with an omega.  But this was not possible as most of them were not true Alphas.  So to ensure that supply had met demand over the centuries, families that needed wealth had sacrificed one of their male offspring and turned them into a omega by the use of a permeant potion.   Forced omegas were classed the same as natural omegas! They were the property of the person that marked them, their rights became non-existent when they bonded.  Forced Omegas had over the centuries become a sort after commodity, they retained their natural male gentillia and male bodies, even though the potion ensured that they suffered a permanent castration.

 

Articus was very lucky that Darcy had reluctantly allowed the LeStranges son to bond with him.  He knew that all though the LeStranges were a traditional family that followed the old ways, they would ensure that Articus as an omega would be well looked after and cherished.   Articus after tomorrow would not have the same rights as he had before the scandal with Mary Prewitt, but he was being allowed to finish his education at Hogwarts.  The LeStranges had also named Articus as their sons consort allowing him status in traditional magical society that he would have lost, if the other families had been successful in their negotiations.

 

One of the effects that Mary Prewitt  potions had on Articus, was to force him to become a Omega. Two of the potions when combined together, became the forced omega potion.  The potion had made Articus a forced Omega, and why it had become paramount to get Articus bonded as quickly as possible. 

 

Mary Prewitt had been in serious trouble for line theft and raping Articus, but she had faced being kissed if the fact that she forced Articus to become an Omega had become known in wider society.  That had been the leverage that Darcy had used to ensure her and her families silence over her and Articus behaviour.  Also the fact that the bitch was now bonded to a ultra conservative wizarding Egyptian cousin of Darcy’s had made it sweeter for the Brandon family to take the bitter pill.

 

Darcy knew and understood that forcing Articus to bond with a person from a traditional family was unfair and harsh.  But that even though the mundane government had started to integrate the two societies, Darcy had to deal with the situation as it was now and not what it could be in the future.  The only way to keep Articus relative safe and well looked after was to bond with the LeStrange family.  But the Lestranges would ensure that Articus was treated as a their sons consort, and could finish his education although he would of course be moving into bonded quarter into his spouses house Slytherin.

 

It would have been different if his father could still have control of their family, his contacts would have helped ease things for Articus and ensured his other children were not affected by Articus new status. But Articus father was still gravely ill, if slowly recovering and that left the family in the hands of his Darcy, who was a wizard that followed the old ways it was true.  But his contacts in his brother-in-law wizarding society was limited,  and they could not hide Articus in the mundane world.  Especially as Dumbledore the ultimate manipulator had been informed of Articus new status, the fools had confessed to what had transpired, and Darcy knew that Dumbledore would plan to take control of the Riddles estate to keep his silence on Articus and Mary scandal.


	9. Articus bonding and Severus cupcakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Articus bonding day arrives, and Severus answers a algebra question in his maths class

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Trickster32 for reading part of this chapter for me. The speech by Rev Collins is from Mr Collins letter to Mr Bennett in Pride and Prejudice! There are two scenes based partly on two jokes I have heard and thought was funny-sorry in advance

It was a cold sunny morning the day of Articus bonding, the day that his life would be officially over.  After this afternoon his bonded  would be consort to Lord Weasley.  Part of the bonding agreement was that the Weasley Lordship would be passed on to their children, the bonding agreement stipulated at least  four children.  With one of them being a male heir as soon as the bonded couple had finished their schooling.

 

It was a harsh agreement in Articus eyes, all the wealth, power and authority was his consorts.  On paper  it would seem to the rest of society that Arthur as the Lord and Rodolphus as his consort that Arthur was the dominant partner.  But on paper he was the submissive partner and his consort the dominant, from today onward he live with the ultra-conservative LeStrange family.  He even had to now change houses to live with his consort in the Snake pit, where he knew status was everything.  His mother and Dumbledore were both right Goblins were evil little money grasping creatures, and his father’s account manager Thickone was all the above with bells o it.  Thickone had been the main negotiator between the his father’s house and the LeStrange’s account manager, he had even managed to get the LeStrange to pay a  significant  ‘bride price’  for him.

 

Of course his Godparents had tried to stop his bonding, Dumbledore after all always had his best interest at heart after all.  His mother had come to his aide, screaming, weeping and locking herself away in her room in the end with her nerves due to the fact her beloved Articus was being bonded to a family in trade.  His Uncle Fitzwilliam had not budged, Articus had to bond and to this family.   More screaming with his mother collapsing saying “This bonding will be the death of me…..by Articus being bonded to trade, if only my Christopher was in charge…if only he would stop scamming his illness.  The man knows by nerves can’t take surprises, this bonding will be the death of me”

 

His aunt Elizabeth Darcy had said under her breath “Like Articus behaviour hasn’t almost been the death of poor Christopher!   Her NERVES, Lydia needs a kick up the backside!”

Dumbledore had looked at the rest of the family including his two sisters and Uncle and added “It seems that poor Mrs Brandon is beside herself, perhaps as Articus Principal Godfather I should be in charge of decisions regarding Articus including this rushed bonding.   I think that if Articus was to bond with Lady Mar..”

 

“Mary Prewitt the bike of Hogwarts as the mundanes say, which is pretty impressive when you realise the competition, and then be given the Brandon estate to live on, Albus?” Darcy asked with angry icy disdain edged in his voice

Dumbledore ignored the question after all his plan was to have the fools bond and take control of Brandon’s estate and keep the couple in poverty “Elizabeth and your other sisters…perhaps you should go an try to console you delicate sister Lydia….while we men discuss this situation”

A squat little dwarf then pranced in the room, everybody in the room rolled their eyes at the intruder.  He was followed by Rosemary and  Conrad supporting a black eye and his arm in a sling, and the dwarfs bonded Charlotte who came and sat with Elizabeth smiling wanly.  The dwarf started in his insistent high pitched voice “Really I am so disappointed to be right, there had to be a bad apple produced from the lions of my dearest cousin Lydia……Of course I agreed with the Thickone the Goblin manager to conduct the bonding service…..we must of course keep the image of proprietary, we can only hope that the young man siblings learns from his stupid folly and behaviour.  And that the young foolish ill led child repents of his behaviour……”

“But it was a childish mistake…children experiment….unintentional accidents happen, as a follower of the new way Rev Collins…you must see the importance…” Dumbledore tried to stop the tirade from one of the main light supporters, after all he wanted to ensure Articus family allowed the bonding of the stupid couple, not support the enemies of his plan. 

 

“My children although as the Bible states are a blessing and a gift from God, have been brought up to respect and fear the scandal of shameful behaviour….As I have said many a time to Lady and Lord  Longbottom, who ask for my humble advice and knowledge….Children must be disciplined and brought up to know their place not only in their family, but their families place in their society.  Our children…and Charlottes has always been in agreement with me…..know that one hint of shameful behaviour would mean the casting of them out in the world”

 

The dwarf just sighed and looked at the assembled family, and the shocked looks o horror from the Darcy’s and Bingley’s.   Conrad was at the back of the group trying not to laugh at the dwarfs performance.  They had just met that morning and when the Rev Collins needed a lift to the Brandon’s, and  he had agreed to drive his new friends there.

 

Conrad had been running late for work, and as he admitted to the police officer in the local hospital A&E department the accident between him and Charles had been his fault.  So what started the altercation at the side of the road then the officer asked.

Conrad had looked sheepish and Rosemary continued the explanation rolling her eyes “We are on the A1 trying to make up the time, when this idiot here decided to rear end the car in front.  They both stopped on the emergency lane to take each other details and then”

 

“Look officer ever had one of those days, when whatever you do it will go wrong and then there is that one little incident that makes you laugh in the most inappropriate situation”  the officer nodded, he felt that he was going to be having one of those days now.  The nurse who was cleaning up Conrad’s face after placing his plastered broken hand in a sling stopped to listen to the explanation “Well I really was going to admit responsibility and offer to pay for the damage to the others drivers BMW X3  and “with this Conrad just rolled up laughing on the cubicle bed, tears streaming form his face

 

“IT WAS NOT THAT FUNNY!” countered Rosemary, the officer looked perplexed “This dwarf in a clerical collar stormed over to us and said ‘I am definetly not happy’ and this idiot I married just had to come back with..”

 

“Well which one are you then……and that started the fight off, must admit for a man of the cloth he has a mean left hook”

So an hour later when both couples had  finally become friends, Rosemary had offered to drive the Rev Collins and his wife to the Brandon’s to perform a magical marriage late that day. 

 

The Rev Charles Collins put up a finger, and looking at Tom and Darcy  directly stated “ I feel myself called upon to help my loving cousins and their families present, by our relationship, and my obvious situation in life, to condole with you on the grievous affliction you are now suffering under, of course we were informed by letter by the Goblin Thickone.  Be assured, my dear sir that Mrs Collins and

and myself sincerely sympathise with you and all your respectable family, in your present distress, which must be of the bitterest kind, because proceeding from a cause which no time can remove. No arguments shall be wanting on my part that can alleviate so severe a misfortune—or that may comfort you, under a circumstance that must be of all others the most afflicting to a parent's mind. The death of your nephew would have been a blessing in comparison of this. And it is the more to be lamented, because there is reason to suppose as my dear Charlotte informs me, that this licentiousness of behaviour in your nephew has proceeded from a faulty degree of indulgence; though, at the same time, for the consolation of yourself and Mrs. Darcy and your extended family, I am inclined to think that his own disposition must be naturally bad, or he could not be guilty of such an enormity, at so early an age. Howsoever that may be, you are grievously to be pitied; in which opinion I am not only joined by Mrs. Collins, but likewise by Lady Augusta Longbottom and her son, to whom I have related the affair. They agree with me in apprehending that this false step in one will be injurious to the fortunes of all the others; for who, as Lady Longbottom  herself condescendingly says, will connect themselves with such a family? And this consideration leads me moreover to reflect, with augmented satisfaction, on a certain events of forty years ago my cousin Elizabeth of; for had it been otherwise, I must have been involved in all your sorrow and disgrace. Let me then advise you, dear sir, to console yourself as much as possible, to throw off your unworthy child from your affection for ever, and leave him to reap the fruits of her own heinous offense."

Dumbledore was just about to interrupt one of his most loyal supporters, a man who he knew was fanatical in his support of the new ways, as Lord Longbottom and his family.  The odious dwarf continued before Dumbledore could open his mouth

“And the good book does say ‘a parents transgressions will be carried down till the fourth generation….how true this wise saying and advice is, needless to find myself in the same position as before…….to find that my cousin Lydia offspring as brought great shame to your family and station in life, must of cause be very hard for you to bear with good grace “ this last part of the speech was spoken to Mr Darcy

 

Fitzwilliam closed his teeth and refrained from speaking to the odious little twat in front of him, the man had been an insufferable the first time he met had met him.  Rev Collins had been a brown nosed, sneaky odious little man who had tried to ensure that his adored Lizzy was bonded to him. Before he could even start to speak to dismiss the man and his claims, the  continue the odious little man continued addressing himself totally to Darcy “How it must shame you sir, a gentleman of your carriage and station…..to be associated with this family however slight, as I said before it over forty years ago it would have been better to cast out the bad into the flames and harshness of the world, then let it fester for evermore and taint your splendid family”

 

Mary dramatically gripped her chest and said “Does it not say in the Bible that Proverbs 13:24 Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them…………………and like his mother the boy has no shame because he was disciplined with a harsh but loving hand of his father,  and to think that this shame on the family will never be spent….oh how I feel for you my nieces…this shame that your brother as heir to your father’s estate has brought upon you.  It was terrible when I and then Kitty were passed over by the legible gentlemen in the area, I of course was willing to do my duty by my parents….easing their life after the shock of Lydia’s great shame……As a spinster I gladly gave my life dreams to ensure that our mother was well looked after.  Of course under the watchful and careful eye of  our cousin the Rev. Collins………… Whilst my younger sibling Kitty had to make do with an older Gentleman instead of her true love”  Mary now lent over and held Kitty’s hand in a firm embrace, and patted it as the Rev Collins continued “Yes poor Kitty, the one sister that had to bear the brunt of her sister Lydia transgressions, not for her the comfortable life of Lady Longbottom….NO SHE HAD TO BOND TO A MAN TWICE HER AGE, BECAUSE OF THE SCANDAL AND SHAME THAT LYDIA BROUGHT ON TO THE FAMLY OF WEASLEY”

Kitty flung herself from the room, crying into her handkerchief with her husband Colonel Moody chasing after her, to comfort her regarding what her sister Mary  had said.

 

Dumbledore stood up and interrupted  the Rev Collins and stated “We will be discussing this later Mr Darcy.  I will be at the bonding later today…goodbye everybody, although I am still lodging my objections to this ill thought out bonding!  To cast out a child into the cold, and not take care of the responsibilities that the child brings to your door!  Goodbye Mr Collins, until we speak again”  with that Dumbledore stormed out of the manor, angry and frustrated that his plans to change the minds of Mr Darcy had been sabotaged accidently by that odious supporter of the light way the Rev Collins.

 

Everybody looked at the Rev Collins expecting him to continue in his previous tirade, but he turned to Darcy and asked “Any fire whiskey in this place…..dam need it after this morning fracas and dealing with that twat Dumblebore!......Don’t look there man, Christopher keeps the good stuff behind the painting of Lydia’s mother, he always said he had to have good reason to have a painting of the old crone in the living room”  Rev Collins then sits down next to his wife and was happy to find out that most people here knew Conrad and his family, when he introduced Conrad to the family.    He took a long sip from the glass, spat it out stood up and stalked to the hidden alcove and poured himself a very large glass of good fire whiskey “Really Fitzwilliam, I asked for fire whiskey not nat’s piss”   he then went and sat back down and continued in his reasonable voice “I gather everybody here will be joining the mundane society as soon as possible……Ah Mary did you have to help the little sods on our yearly Boys Brigade camp capturing the mundane American armies flag from their compound…luckily Christopher managed to smooth the incident over….good news were are camping on their site next year and their drill sergeant has become one of our officers and wants to ask Darcy to officially court you!!”

 

Elizabeth nearly fainted when her saintly sister priggish Mary said “So I suppose capturing the American armies flag is out now…How the boys will think up another tradition to match…...Oh well at least Duncan is a real man, he has muscles and intellect in all the right places….do you think arse ache will be back then before today’s bonding”

“Hopefully not, can’t stand the priggish man…all holy than thou and I know better than everybody else…..Reminds me of my sanctimonious priggish self of my youth!”  At this everybody who had known the young Rev Collins agreed, he had been legend in the family for years

“What changed you?” asked a Elizabeth Darcy

“The British mundane army!” Kitty her  youngest but one sister who had re-joined the family in the downstairs living room, when she and her husband had both re-joined them from the garden after ensuring they had seen a furious Dumbledore stalking out the door.

“Served six  years in the British Army as a Chaplin, went in there thinking I knew it all and came back into normal society a very humble and contrite man realising that  like Christopher I needed to change.  Became the local vicar and have never  looked back really, although acting like the priggish prat I was to Dumbledore and the light order is fun and necessary”

“WHY?” asked Elizabeth, “

“To keep his noses out of the local magical families business”  Charles Collins supplied, Mary rolled her eyes and added “It also helped Christopher sleep at night….knowing that at least two of us may be able to warn him of Dumbleberks plans regarding Tom”

“And try to keep an eye on the cretin Articus whilst at Hogwarts” Rev Collins added “Although the old goat made sure I never got to have contact with Articus whilst he was Hogwarts”

“And our sister ensured that Christopher had no influence on Articus at home!” Mary supplied

“Still a bit harsh you trying to get Thickone to negotiate the bonding agreement with the old Choi family eldest child”

“Best choice, after although the boy is gay and Articus would be safely bonded and far away from us” Mary countered “Articus was warned and didn’t heed the warnings and should pay the price Charles….I STILL SAY THAT HIS SIBLINGS DO NOT DESERVE THE SHAME HE HAS BROUGHT ON THEM!”

Every in the room shuddered as they realised that If Mary had be in charge  of the Brandon estate, Articus life would be a lot more harsher after his bonding.  Mary would definitely sacrifice one child’s happiness for their siblings if needed.

 

 “Then allowing the goings on at Hogwarts, that man is evil to the core” their cousin answered Mary “Well after today you can tell him to go and take a one way trip to hades”

“that’s if the devil doesn’t cast him out From hell because even he can’t stand the man “and with that conversation to break the ice, everybody sat down to discuss the bonding ceremony to take place later on today.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

There were times that Charles despaired at the teachers at his school, really no matter what the teacher had said it had been her fault that Severus was devastated with the fail he had been given for their algebra work, when normally he only got A+ from the woman for the maths work.

 

The wail of hurt and anguish from Severus that had accompanied their maths class leaving the classroom, he knew would haunt them all forever.

 

For once it wasn’t Charles reassuring Severus, it was a burly lad who had before this lesson and every other had  sneered at Severus for always being the nerd of their form class.  All you could hear was the poor lad saying to Severus “But Severus it is expected that the teacher has to fail everybody at least once in algebra”

 

This was responded from Severus with “But algebra is logical, and I was logical in my answer” and Severus was still snuffling at the unfairness of the his failing mark in class today. After all couldn’t the wonderful Miss Pike see the logic in his answer.

A classmate whispered to Charles “Perhaps Pikey should have used Pencils as the example and not cupcakes”  Charles nodded at his classmate

“I blame the school, really your mate Steve is OK, but thick does not cover it……I mean you would think that every other subject he scored the lowest possible STATS scores except Maths….it doesn’t take Einstein to realise some other poor sods paper was marked as Steve’s and Steve’s as the poor sods…….”

Now somehow at their mundane secondary school, all the Star trekkers had managed to keep in the same form class and the same set for Maths, the rest of the subjects they were split up.  Severus it was true had to attend remedial classes for subjects he had no interest in.  But maths, the sciences and English he was in the top set with Charles and Dave.  Well the poor teacher was trying yet again to explain algebra to their mate Steve.  Really he loved Steve, but it was as their classmate had said not fair to Steve or the rest of them for him to be in the top set of maths.  Better cut the loses now and move him to the bottom set for maths, making a clean sweep in his subjects.

 

Mrs Pike the maths teacher had put up the equation 10c – 2(8))=18+5c Severus had got the initial answer correct  and the working out had been spot on

                                                                                       RHS                      LHS

                                                                        10c-4(8)              =            18+5c

Deal with brackets first:                             10c-4x8               =            18+5c

                                                                        10c-32                 =            18+5c

-5c:                                                                 10c-5c-32           =            18+5c-5c

                                                                               5c-32            =            18

+32:                                                                5c-32+32            =            18+32

                                                                                      5c          =            50

Divide by 5:                                                                 5c÷5      =            50÷5

                                                                                      c             =            10

Severus had quickly like normal worked out the correct solution to the equation, the poor teacher was still trying to explain to Steve and others in their set the principles of solving algebra when she said “ Children now remember that the symbols in algebra represent real life commodities. Just imagine that you and your best friend are on a pair of scales and the scales must balance, the only way they can balance is to have the same things on them exactly.   So what happens to your friend must happen to you, but by rearranging the goods on the scales you can find out how much the commodity is worth”

The teacher looked round the classroom and her eyes lighted on her favourite pupil Severus, and her second  Charles it must be stated and she wrote on the board  the equation followed by

 

                                                                        Severus               =            Charles

She then asked Severus to come and solve the equation 10c-4(8)=18+5c and said to him “now Severus I want you and the rest of the class to think that the ‘c’ are cupcakes”

Severus clarified “Triple fudge Chocolate M&S cupcakes with fairy sprinkles Miss Pike”

“Yes of course Severus, now you just solve the equation and show your friends how easy it is”  Charles head hit his desk, how could the misguided woman ask Severus to solve the question, it had taken a lot of work by Severus friends at the school to get the rest of his school year to accept him, and this could put back all their hard work.  Severus stood at the Whiteboard and thought and then started writing

 

                                                          Severus               =            Charles

                                           10Cupkakes -4(8)            =            18+5Cupcakes

Do brackets first:             10Cupcakes-4x8              =            18+5Cupcake

                                           10Cupcakes-32                =            18+5Cupcakes

+32:                                   10cupcakes-32+32          =            18+32+5Cupcakes

                                                          10Cupcakes                      50+5Cupcakes                                                                          

the answer is  10cupcakes=50+5cupcakes  and Severus stood there, their teacher patiently reminded Severus that the equation was not quite finished, and that he should continue” So Severus once again thought and wrote        

                                            10Cupcakes                     =            50+5Cupcakes-Charles

AVAKVADA Charles:       10Cupcakes                      =            50+5Cupcakes and one dead Charles

Take Charles cupcakes:  10Cupcakes+5Cupcakes=             50-5cupcakes and one dead Charles

                                           15Cupcakes                      =  50 & 1 dead Charles

Ask nanny jean to

Hide body:                        15 cupcakes                     =   50 & No obvious evidence left

 When the teacher asked Severus for his explanation to his solution he looked at her with  his sad onyx eyes and said “I love Charles, BUT NOBODY HAS MY TRIPPLE FUDGE CHOCALATE M&S CUPCAKES, so he had to die and nanny Jean would do anything for me” 

So Severus got a fail for the class and was devastated, the teacher realised that perhaps she should have use pencils as an example instead of cupcakes and best of all everybody saw in Severus in a new and different light.  And the morale of the story was never try to get Severus to part with his Triple Fudge Chocolate M&S Cupcakes, but their  Steve still hadn’t figured out how to do algebraic equations!

Really thought Charles the school should just cut their losses and move Steve to the bottom maths set, it was the kindest thing to do after all!

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Rev Charles Collins was not happy or looking forward to bonding his cretin cousins son, he knew that it would be considered in magical society hypocritical  for him to feel this way, after all he and his adored wife had bonded because it was seen as a very good match for her, and he had been desperate to bond with anybody that could stand him at the time.  It was true that the time he served as a Chaplin in the British army had woken him up, the men he had to look after never put up with his behaviour and over time he had slowly changed.  He had become a more reasonable and nicer person, somebody who realised that the real world could be harsh and unyielding and that people of walks and life’s did not need the likes of him preaching at them when they came to their minister for support and help. 

 

Oh he still gave the old brine and brimstone sermons on a Sunday, he had been floored one Sunday when Muriel’s son Severus had answered the question he had thundered out in his sermon.  Rev Collins knew and loved Severus now (who didn’t), and had been the one to ensure that their church choir had gone from being one of the best in the area, winning accolades and competitions to being a laughing stock in the area, the poor organist it was rumored (Tim, nice but definitely under his bonded thumb) cried himself to sleep every Sunday now. Severus was tone deaf, now we are not talking Barry Manilow tone deaf here, or even singing a few notes off key. No Severus ensured that the mating calls of the local cats at night seemed like the BBC orchestra singing the Messiah. Severus singing voice, consisted him shouting the songs, and missing every note. Well one Sunday the Charles had stopped the service during one rousing hymn, and dragged Severus out into the front of the congregation, informed them that Severus singing voice had been given to him by God, so by definition Severus had a voice like an angel, and should never be made to mime the hymns, and then the minister had been him made a member of the choir, and the organist nightmare, well really the whole congregation nightmare had begun.

Well twenty minutes into the service, his daughter read the passage from the bible, and the Charles started on his sermon, his congregation settled down for normal  hour and half  plus nap, novel writing or newspaper reading etc.  when he asked the question “Now out of all those people in this story who would you want to be, the slave, the master, the prophet or….” And Severus had raised his hand and had innocently replied to minister when asked “ I’s want to be God sir, cause nobody messes with you” and that had shut the Charles up quicker then the verger’s old  woman losing the collection on the 14:30 at New market last Easter Monday afternoon, but the minister to give him his due, had after a few minutes with everybody holding their breath, just laughed and agreed with Severus and carried on with his sermon.

But living and serving his mundane congregation over the years had made him see forced bonding’s for whatever reason generally a bad idea.   Christopher Brandon his friend and nephew in law bonded life was hell literally.  His wife was a selfish, hypochondriac shrew who had led Christopher on a merry goose chase over the years,  leading to the poor man having nearly dying through his sons behavior.

Charles stood at the front of the church’s altar and waited for Articus to be escorted down the aisle to stand by his intended, where Charles would complete the shortest bonding ceremony he had held.

He looked out at the couples bonding guests and saw the bare minimum from both sides to witness the bonding.   There was a shuffling at the Churches door, and the inner door opened into the church’s hall.  Articus was almost man handled down the altar to stand by his intended by Fitzwilliam.

The church hall itself was decorated nicely by the woman of the congregation, and it being so closed to Christmas the normal church had been decorated with the normal Christmas decorations.  Call Charles mean spirted, but he hadn’t put the heat on in the church for the ceremony.  After all the bonding would be over in less than fifteen minutes.

Both of the wizards who were being bonded wore traditional wizarding ritual robes.  Quickly Charles went through the ceremony, and the two wizards were bonded when Dumbledore flew into the hall and demanded “I protest at the bonding……The bonding cannot go ahead, because I……”

Fitzwilliam smirked when Charles looked at Dumbledore and said “You are to  late Mr. Dumbledore….The ceremony is officially over and these two very happy wizards are now legally bonded”  Charles then took the couples joined hands, raised them up and said “I now declare the Weasley’s legally bonded, may no man or wizard try to break them apart! SO MOTE IT” and the audience all sighed a sigh of relief as they echoed the traditional bonding response back to the couple. It really was a shame that he had accidentally given the Longbottom’s the wrong address of his church he served all those years ago and a pity that Dumbledore had obtained the address from the couple.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

“Does he know?” Darcy asked sitting at the table Muriel had commandeered in the COSTA restaurant in Stevenage New Town, the day after Articus bonding.  It was the only well-known coffee restaurant.  Muriel just looked up and shook her head. Tom came and sat down next to his uncle at the table.

The restaurant was like nearly all franchise COSTA restaurants, long queues, tables and chairs spread out to give the illusion of an Italian Chic café.  The same prints of scenes on the walls as other restaurants but in different places.  There was even a notice board exclaiming that YOUR COSTA ensures that all their coffee farmers were well paid.

“When did it start?” 

“December 12th 1948, met in a coffee shop just off SoHo street” She looked at Darcy “Love at first sight, she was going to marry him…..even when he told her the truth….about you….Georgina and the rest…he vowed to always be there…thick and thin”

“What happened?”

“Everything was fine till December 1949….still in love…he wanted to leave the magical world for her  and me…not” and with this she lifted her hand to forestall Darcy’s protests “to run away from his debts or responsibilities..Mum and dad with Christopher went to the Goblins, and explained to a Goblin called Thickone….Christopher told him everything…and Thickone set up a schedule to pay his creditors…week by week, Christopher married my mum and I was born in August 1950….and…all his wages went to pay his debts…he joined the British army and would have gone in as a regular, but the Army persuaded him to join the officer core…….Mum, me and Wacky lived near Kings Cross…..in a house near where he worked…….for mum and Christopher it was hard but worth it, they lived on her wages…....and then one day Christopher came in looking like he seen a ghost”

“Georgina” Darcy whispered

“Yes Georgina…we had all gone to Brighton for a day trip and Christopher, Christopher was on leave from his post or about to leave and head out…don’t know which and had seen Dumbledore hanging around Georgina…….”  Muriel looked into the distance, and shrugged her shoulders  “Family meeting that night….and Christopher went to talk sense in her and escort her back to Pemberley and then lay into the old house keeper” Muriel looked at Darcy “He knew that you didn’t know about she Georgina and Dumbledore after all the man was still standing.  Georgina confessed to Christopher that her head been turned by him, then you had come along when Christopher was going to ensure she went straight back to Pemberley estate……You blew up at what you thought you had seen, correct assumption wrong person…….and Christopher led you on, after all he thought he would never see you again….he had been posted to Korea with the army!”

Darcy just sat there with Tom patiently waiting for Muriel to speak again, she took a sip of her Latte and continued still staring into space or perhaps remembering what she had been told of the past. “Christopher forbid Georgina from telling you the truth……he knew that while you would just chase him off….it you knew it was Dumbledore then you would feel duty bound to have him and Georgina bond…tying Dumbledore to the Darcy family and giving him access to Georgina's inheritance”

Darcy got up to get and the order of drinks that everybody had asked for,  there was a long wait for Fitzwilliam to collect the order of drinks, he glanced round the up market coffee shop.  There were mothers with their children meeting friends for either catching up on news before the Yuletide Holidays.  Or with lists of things they needed, screaming children with them sitting down trying to have a quick drink before braving the onslaught again of the December weather and Yuletide crowds. He ordered and collected his drinks from the Barista and went back to the table to join the others

 

“Well Dumbledore was pissed off and somehow had found Christopher……he threatened him….Christopher laughed and told him to get in line behind the Devil and the others…told him straight he was heading out to Korea…………… well Dumbledore then threatened Christopher’s loved ones said ‘That with Christopher fighting with the savage muggles he better be sure that his family didn’t have a nasty or fatal accident”  Muriel fidgeted with the spoon stirring her latte a number of times before continuing “Well Christopher knew that his parents, Georgina were safe in Pemberley…knew that you would keep them safe….he was worried for me and mum..It was nan…Wacky’s mum who came up with the solution, it was illegal but that didn’t matter really and she and granddad had come to see me as their eldest grandchild….Christopher had to walk away and leave us, then mum would marry Wacky…..because Wacky had been away from their hometown, they would all say that Wacky had met mum in her home town of Yorkshire…got married, and then had a massive row between them all…and mum and Wacky had just got in touch with the family after making up after the row!...........Broke Christopher’s heart to walk away but he did it, to save his family!...he stood with Wacky's Brother Uncle Arthur as best man..I made a lovely bridesmaid.  Christopher became Uncle Christie and Wacky's dad….I was after all only two and was a very late talker…Wacky and his family loved me like their own”

 

Christopher served in Korea, becoming a commanding officer of a MASH unit”  Both Tom and Fitzwilliam looked perplexed, Muriel sighed and explained “It’s a Mobile army surgical hospital, where wounded soldiers were taken by helicopter normally to be treated before being sent back into combat….or sent back to one of the more permanent hospitals. He never talks about Korea or anything like that really…..” Muriel just leant her forehead on her upright hand and continued “Well Christopher was visiting us in Stevenage on leave when he got caught up in the fracas at Longbourn…..Dad nearly killed him, when he heard what he had done….still think he has that lump on his head from mum up handing him over it “

 

Well stupidly we all went to bloody Brighton for another day trip, and Lydia saw us there.  Next thing we know she had tracked Christopher down and told him she was pregnant!..... Christopher was beside himself…we didn’t need the hassle of a bratty kid, sorry love I know it’s your mum”

Tom nodded the acceptance of Muriel’s apology, but he knew his sister Muriel was right, his mother was still a bratty kid

“She threatened in the café on Kings Cross station on the platforms of 9 and 10 to abort the child she was carrying…it was illegal then for mundanes to have an abortion….Christopher lost it with her….tried, demanded, implored her to throw herself on the mercy of her father….she threatened to kill herself if he made her go back to Longbourn……she demanded that he looked after her…he was an Auror she said…..he had to do the right thing by her…if he didn’t…she would kill herself and leave the letter blaming Christopher…and my parents knew then she had won…there was no way that Christopher would allow a person to commit suicide if he could stop it……Next you tracked them now and ‘forced’ them to marry…..Colonel Moody of your police covered for him, when you asked about him being an auror…Christopher had with his blessing resigned his auror commission and left for the British army with his blessings….the money you paid to cover Christopher debts, Thickone ensured Christopher put every Knut back into a separate account for Tom for him to start his life when he left full time education”

Darcy went to get more refreshments from the counter, now the queue had shortened considerably with the lunch time crowd going back to work.

Darcy came and sat back down at the table with the refreshments “Did you keep in touch with Christopher then”

“Only the odd letter here and there, Christmas cards and photos of his son Tom!  He was so proud of you…your first footsteps, smile…..there was always a photo of you on desk according to the personnel that he commanded”  Muriel smiled and took out a photo of a smiling toddler “That’s you Tom, around the age of two I think”

“SO IF HE WAS SO PROUD OF ME! WHY DID HE ILLEGALLY ADOPT ME?” Tom whispered to Muriel, he just wanted Muriel to tell him that the Goblins and their stupid ritual had got it wrong, that he was the legitimate child of his father.

“Dumbledore!”

“What….Dumbledore…Dumbledore made my father risk his life for whatever reason Muriel?”

“Dumbledore needed a child to mould into the next Grimwald…..and he had picked you….Thickone and Colonel Moody have squirrelled the evidence that have collected regarding Dumbledore away safe…….Lydia had decided that she was just going to hand you over…he promised her a better life, than she had as a mundanes Army Officer wife….just surviving on Christopher’s salary!.....she hated the fact that Thickone had complete control of the household finances…the life she had envisioned  never materialised….so Dumbledore promised her freedom if she handed you over and swore that Christopher was not the father”

“Why didn’t the fool come to me…I would have..”

“Fought for him and Tom, Fitzwilliam

!...he wasn’t thinking straight, he panicked and then this one of the lads that served under him in the Korean MASH unit, offered to contact an enlisted man that had married a local Korean lass.  The man knew a cracker first class and he would brew the potion that would make Tom his….all inheritance test except one would see Tom as his flesh and blood….Christopher jumped at the solution……..Somehow the potion arrived with one of Christopher officers of the Korean unit……Everybody had to wait for the right time……Christopher had left on another army manoeuvre when Colonel Moody contact us and said that Dumbledore would be coming for Tom that night……….The house elf that was looking after you gave you the potion that afternoon…..Dumbledore came for you with two of his auror thugs and dragged you screaming with Lydia to Gringotts……Thickone ensured that the inheritance was not completed that night.  Well three days later Dumbledore tried again”  Muriel stopped her story and laughed the brittle and shaky laugh of a person who still couldn’t believe what happened next” He had Lydia in tow, and she swore that to the minster of magic and Lord Potter who were in attendance that Christopher was not your father…..well the Goblins completed the test and it showed that Lydia was lying and that you were Christopher’s Biological child” Muriel smiled, and both Tom and Fitzwilliam shuddered she almost had the same smile that Trickster32oureniemies had when he had shafted the manager of the Riddle accounts “The Goblins loved seeing Dumbledore wrong footed and him and his entourage thrown out of Gringotts…they sold the memory of that meeting for years apparently…in fact I have a copy of the meeting somewhere at home”

“But I didn’t live with my mother alone after that did I?” Tom asked

“No! Mrs Darcy managed to have you fostered by a young couple who worked on the Pemberley estate, lovely couple, they looked after you until Christopher returned from active service and was able to ensure that Dumbledore wouldn’t try to take you away from him again!.!....it wasn’t unusual then, many mundane working families would take in their relatives children…to stop them being taken into care….”

“How did you manage to keep the adoption quiet” Asked Darcy stunned

“Simple the group that helped in Korea became Tom’s godparents, the rest of us in England made an unbreakable vow”  by the time Christopher had left the army, I was married myself and Lydia had three miscarriages, then Articus and the two girls followed”

Tom and Darcy sat there stunned, a group of people including Darcy’s wife had managed to keep Tom out of Dumbledore’s claws somehow.  The plan had been stupid, reckless and should have failed, but somehow thank Merlin it had worked.   

“The name Riddle….why?”

“Didn’t Christopher give it to the rest of his children….it was because we needed to hide you in plain sight, especially from Mrs Darcy’s family, and the whole family knew the name Brandon…so your surname was changed to Christopher’s mundane name, and then never turn back to Brandon!”

“But why did he name me as executor and power of attorney, and the precise will he has left” Darcy mused

“My fault!...I have some Romany gypsy blood and have the limit gift of sight, one day I was telling people their fortunes using cards….everybody was having fun, but when I read Uncle Christie's cards I saw a very prediction of what may happen…..Of course I didn’t tell him what the cards foretold, but Christopher wheedled them out of me and acted upon them…..he was he was scared that Articus would just become Dumbledore’s pawn when he was bonded with Mary Prewitt, so he tried to ensure that that the rest of you children and Lydia were kept and his estate out of Dumbledore’s hands”

 

Muriel hummed to herself and then stated “Funny really! I was just reading these mundane books about a magical school and a young wizard, Severus had begged for them because the covers reminded him of Hogwarts…….well when reading the books I had a funny feeling that the books were recounting what should have happened or has happened on another earth…very weird feeling that was!”

 

“Does Conr.....”

“Know?....No, and I only know what I do because Nan told be when Granddad died.  She told me the whole of the three families stories……..and I have the original documents and certificates from that time….and I would like to keep the fact that Christopher is my dad just between Dave, me, the original participants and you two please….my parents had a good marriage, and Christopher doesn’t need the shame of what he did to ensure me and my families safety all those years ago!”  Tom and Darcy agreed to keep the secret of Muriel’s parentage. But sitting in the coffee shop watching the Christmas shoppers hurrying about their business, both Tom and Darcy were now more than ever determined to see Dumbledore brought to justice over his actions!

 


	10. Mary Prewitts bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mary Prewitts bonding day, a day made in heaven? perhaps the Prewitts should have read the contracts small print

All  the guests turned as one and looked at the couple at the top of the embassy indoor stairs.  The father lifted his only daughters veil and whispered a few words to her.  Maybe of encouragement on this her bonding day. 

They saw Mary Prewitt walking down the main ornate staircase in the embassy, she looked like demure virgin and resplendent in a white dress, with a veil covering her face and trailing down her back. She looked at her father Percy Prewitt and smiled, and they both crossed the room and entered the small room where they would reaffirm the bonding in front of close family and friends. The real bonding had been completed yesterday between the couple, the bonding contract had been witnessed and signed by the couple separately at Gringotts, with Thickone and Choi Darcy’s family goblin in attendance and as witnesses for the couples, but Mary had seen the Darcy she would marry leave with his entourage, he was tall, handsome (mundanes would recognize him as a the young actor Omar Sharif).    Mary it must be said would have bonded to this Darcy even if her was a poor Egyptian peasant but to her relief he was almost as rich as Articus Uncle Mr. Darcy of Pemberley.  Her family had almost bankrupted themselves arranging her bride price for the bonding.  Included in the bonding was the ancestral manor and house elves,  her father had to take a loan with the Goblins to ensure that her twin brothers could open their dream business, but the family had decided it was worth it.  But that had left nothing in the vaults to pay for Mary’s bride price, so her father as head of the family had given the Darcy family the manor and the rest of the families vaults.  After all he knew that their family being bonded to the respectable and influential extensive worldwide known Darcy family would allow the family opportunities and advancement in society that they had only dreamed off. 

Yes for once Percy was glad that his bonded had produced a troublesome daughter.  Daughters were just money losing goods, they were only good for two things if a man was lucky and that was sex and bearing children.  Ever since his only daughter Mary had been born he had been determined that she should make an very advantageous bonding for her family.   Of course he had shown his displeasure when he was informed about the scandal regarding his daughter and the Brandon son.  When he wanted to shout for joy, the outcome to the scandal would be that he could legitimately disown the money sucking little bitch and leave her and legitimately let her new family starve.  Without it costing him a bride price, but the child had managed to pull out the hat as the savage mundanes said a rabbit.   

Dumbledore had reluctantly agreed to the bonding, it was after the only way for him to gain access to the Darcy’s and their wealth.  Nothing could go wrong as the little toad his supporter Rev Collins would be conducting the bonding and the stupid man was a fanatical follower of the new ways.

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The couple had not even officially seen each other, Mary had to bond quickly  since the being recalled home roughly two weeks before the Yuletide leaving feast. All though to mundanes this arrangement would seem strange and be illegal in most circumstances, it had been the practice for the influential wizarding family children to be bonded in this way, although the practice had been slowly dropped by families since Grimwald defeat by Dumbledore.

A arranged bonding between two families, was just a pact to ensure that two families were joined together, it was a way of ensuring that blood debts or other debts between families were resolved.  The children didn’t even have to bond at the end of the day, the fact that they had been bonded by their families on their behalf allowed magic to make them families.  But because of the influence of Dumbledore and his light fraction, the bonding of children had been slowly stopped and only very old traditional families normally allowed pre-arranged bonding’s.  It made sense to the new way followers, why limit yourself to accepting a bonding agreement when your children were younger.

Take his daughter, if they had been foolish enough to bond Mary to the Rev Collins eldest child, as Dumbledore had advised then they would have had to pay the bride price to the family even when Mary had forsaken her bonded.  It didn’t matter that the Rev Collins had refused to bond his son to his daughter, stating that as a gentleman of stature and worth in Hertfordshire magical society, he couldn’t be seen to be lowering his standards to allow his son to bond to a mere lowly first generation gentleman’s daughter.  Oh Percy had known what the man had wanted, and it had been a bigger bride price for his daughter.  So he had decided to listen to Dumbledore new plan and take his chances with allowing the girl to grow up unbonded. 

As they got to the bonding chamber, Percy stopped his daughter and said quietly “I am so proud of the opportunities that you have brought to this family Mary Prewitt.  A mundane official opened the doors and the long walk down the aisle started.

The room was tastefully dressed with white lilies, and blue bells.  The room look magnificent, and with only the most worthy in light society attending, Mary knew that this would be the pinnacle of her life as Mary Prewitt and the beginning of her life as lady Darcy.

Percy nodded to the small and exclusive congregation, including the Longbottom’s, Baxter’s, Potters and of course Dumbledore the chief warlock not only of Britain, but of the magical world.  He was so important that the world came to him for advice, he rarely left Hogwarts.  And only then for British magical royal city and village. 

But this bash was still costing the bloody earth literally, it did not come cheap to hold your daughters bonding in a mundane embassy, but it had been pulled off somehow.  Apparently the ritual ceremony had to be on Choi Darcy's home soil, and this was the closet they could get to it, with an countries embassy being classed as their homeland soil!  In just a few minutes when Percy gave his daughter over to her bonded, she would stop being British and become a citizen of her blonded's country.  Mary and her new family would have no claim on the Prewitts.  The Prewitts would no longer have a daughter to worry about! 

Of course in attendance was the little toady the Rev Collins, who children Percy noticed had never graced Hogwarts.  Apparently their mother had ensured the children were educated amongst the savage muggles, or sent to exclusive magical boarding school abroad.  Because of this their children had made bonding’s in the mundane world.  The eldest  son a squib was a mechanic and worked with his hands in the mundane world, of course Rev Collins sounded proud of the child.  But everybody in their circles knew that the boy should have been killed at birth or discarded amongst the muggles.  The other two children were magically powerful and worked abroad for large mundane multinational companies, instead of staying in magical society and working to ensuring that the disgrace of having a squib as the heir to the family had been eradicated.

Mary and her father at long last reached the altar, with the Rev Collins standing in front of her bonded, Rev Collins spoke the traditional ritual words, and her bonded turned around……

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The doors to the room closed behind Percy and Mary, and a few minutes passed presumably while Mary walked up the aisle towards her bonded partner, and then Mary  started screaming and all hell was let loose. Molly (her mother) rushed into the bonding room to see what had happened, Molly had not been present in the bonding Chamber as per tradition in very old wizarding families the Bride’s mother was banned from attending the actual bonding ceremony. But on the bright side the guests waiting in the reception room was served very expensive wine, drinks and food by the nice mundane waiting staff, who were trying to keep their faces serious but not succeeding very well.

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Fitzwilliam Darcy looked as Hogwarts school bike Mary Prewitt walked demurely into the bonding chamber, although he and his family had been asked as guests to the wedding, they were not invited to the actual bonding.  He owed his cousin Omar for this, and would never be able to pay him back.

Omar had yesterday floored him with his answer at Gringotts after the bonding agreements had been signed “Do anything for you Fitzwilliam…anything…and she will be the youngest of my bonded after all, looking forward to staying in Britain after all and catching up on old times….of course will be staying at your brother in laws manor either with Christopher or Charles Collins… whilst house hunting, after all need to lay down roots now I am magical guardian to the girls sibling”

So the Prewitt’s had dumped the whole family on Omar literally then, yes he owed his cousin a lot.  It was very sad, but he knew that even the Goblins couldn’t find some way to save his cousin from this sacrifice. Darcy was woken up from his musings by a voice declaring

“ _Hello Fitzwilliam!_ …Fancy meeting you here, let me introduce you to my  intended and her brother.  Such nice children, and so happy to take guardianship of them till they bond themselves…..come here!”  Omar his cousin waved over  Lucius Malfoy and his younger sister, and Omar continued  “….my intended for now…absolutely the best that Goblin Thickone, have appointed him manager to my accounts as well.  He seemed rather upset at that…but to ensure that the Malfoy children were put into another’s guardianship….. Apparently has been looking after your cousin and brothers in law accounts…you know….Colonel Moody, Colonel Brandon and Rev Collins”  Omar took a sip of his non alcoholic drink and continued in a pleasant way “Of course the bonding between me and the youngest Malfoy will not take place….but Thickone needed away to get the children away from that abusive Git Lord Abacus Malfoy….also this way, we have been able to migrate the blood traitor debt that Articus sprung on his father….and ensure that Lucius can now bond to the relief of the Black family their second eldest daughter Narcissa”

Elizabeth Darcy with their best friends the Bingleys  and Matlocks looked on in fascination at Fitzwilliam, it was not very often that her bonded had ever been wrong-footed or even lost for words.  But it appeared that this was one of those times

Fitzwilliam looked to the closed bonding chamber door and back at his cousin and asked open mouthed “How?.....why?....and shouldn’t you be in there waiting for…..” and then a loud piecing scream came from inside the bonding chamber itself.  And the Prewitt matriarch flew into the bonding chamber forgetting about the traditions of the bonding ritual.

The howling coming from the room had the wedding guest covering their ears.  The sound would thought Darcy haunt everybody for years.  But then if Omar his cousin was standing by him here, who was Mary Prewitt exactly bonded to?

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Severus with his friends and family waited impatiently on the king cross platform of 9 and three quarters.  He of course wanted to see his Harry and other cousins badly.  But he wanted to see his cousin Lilly, after all she was going to help him choose his new ma’s Christmas pressie from Harrods and he had saved up the £10.00 it would cost him.

Never say that Severus hadn’t learnt from the best, or wasn’t a quick learner.  He had managed to ensure that only Uncle Conrad, Rosemary, Grumpy Gramps Rob and Nanny Jean had come with the rest of the gang to meet his brother and cousins.  And then through gentle persuasion by Severus which he had learnt from Charles and Co (after days of nagging and whining  is what most parents would name it), had ensured that they were to visit Harrods and their Father Christmas Grotto.  Well sacrifices had to made, and if HAD TO TELL A FUNNILY DRESSED MAN WHAT HE WANTED FOR CHRISTMAS, he would do it.   Really did his family believe he was still six years old, after all that was what Argos and Tesco catalogues and the internet were for!        

 

As one of his friends from school and Boys Brigade had told him, you make a list, check it twice and then add to the list what you had forgotten and then added a few little extras.   The boy had even said that sometimes you had paste the pictures from the internet and catalogues on the list.  Apparently Father Christmas miss read the list and would give you some cheap crap if you were not careful.  But the most important thing to remember was to ensure that the list made it into the hands of your parents.  Apparently they had to send it to Father Christmas not you.  Severus being Severus had followed his friends advice to the letter, it had taken him ages to cut all the pictures of the presents he wanted from the catalogues, but he knew that Father Christmas would be so upset if he got Severus substandard Christmas  presents!

Charles just looked at Severus waiting impatiently at on the platform and thought about how much had changed from meeting him during the school holidays.

_flashback_

Spock! Shut up” Charles instructed to Severus, Charles was Severus best friend and leader of the group the Star Trekkers, after the series of that name. Now Charles as leader of the group had soon realized that Severus although magical like his brother, had what his parents and friends called a few issues, and that as they had put it ‘Charles! He’s just like you, but does things a bit different, you’ll like him once you get to know him well’, well their group had, and what Charles had figured out one day, was that Severus didn’t know when to shut up, get him on a subject, and he gave their mate Dave a run for his money, as his old man said.

So Charles had tried with the rest of his friends, to politely point out to Severus many times, that he was boring them to death, then one day out of frustration Charles had shouted at Severus “Just shut the F…K up!”, and the gods above as his sister said, Severus did, Charles had suddenly realized after thinking about what happened, that if you wanted Severus to do something, then tell him, if you wanted him to shut up, because death looked a better option, then tell him, Severus wouldn’t take umbridge he just did it, so when Severus just kept on like their Anglian minister the Rev Collins at church on Sunday, you told him to shut up. If you needed the answer to certain problems, then ask him, but if you could give him instructions for the answer eg. “Spock, what is the answer to………. Yes or No” and Severus would sit there think on the problem silently, and then blurt out the answer yes or no, it was a win, win for everybody. The Star trekkers saw him as a core part of their group and friend, their parents thought that the sun shone out of his arse “Oh! Severus come here, I just happened to have your favourite ………..” and even his sister Pearl gave him pocket money every week, which meant that he got out of all trouble, “Severus, doesn’t understand what he did” or “You supposed to look after Severus” and the other day when he had been up before the old man with Spock for being caught scumping again, and his sister had decided (unfairly in his opinion) that their old man should discipline them for once, he had listened to the lecture always given by him (another two hours, that he would they would not be getting back), but it had been different this time, instead of “…… and the shame you have brought on your older sister and brother, how do they feel about having a younger brother…….” The ending had been “……… What example are your setting Severus, your younger brother……… and the shame you have brought on your older sister and brother, how do they feel about having a younger brother…….” And he had then realized that Severus had become his younger brother and it felt nice, it wasn’t all roses and sunbeams thank you, never tell Severus anything that you wanted kept secret. It wasn’t his fault, but they soon realized he caved into adult pressure to tell the truth, sooner than aunt Mabel pulled down her knickers for a pair of trousers as Grandma stated, but if they worked with his limitations and talents, then he fitted into their group perfectly.

Severus, had been nick named Spock by David,’ he is like that Vulcan, a good friend, but doesn’t understand subtleties’ David had told them, Charles was named Kirk as he was the leader of the group, David was Scott the engineer of the group, hated magic and wanted to be an engineer, David’s mother had wept to find her radio cassette in pieces one day, after his dad had given him it to play with. Steve was known as red shirt, thick as they came and loyal to boot. Mark was bones he wanted to be a doctor, and was always reading biology books and watching diagnosis murders and finally there was Uhura or Sandra, the girl with bat like hearing that could listen to a conversation twenty meters away and recall it word for word, she also had a well-aimed left hook as one of the bullies in their class to testify to, the bully had started to make fun of Severus, and whomp he was on the floor, sporting a nice black eye and a kick in the groin by Uhura, she was a shoe horn for the group after that, especially as she took the schools punishment like a boy. And the whole group of Star Trekkers had ended up in the same form class at their new school.

_End of flashback_

The steam engine pulled into the station and the children disembarked from the carriages.  The children came towards and greeted them, Lilly had brought her best friend Bella home for the holidays and introduced Bella to her parents.

The children’s trunks were stowed in the Grandpa’s Rob min van that was used for the post office business and they all set off to the nearest McDonalds to get a quick lunch before going to Harrods. So that Severus could see Father Christmas this year, Conrad waited for the moaning to start from Lilly about having ‘having to endure seeing stupid father Christmas for weirdo’ but instead Lilly, Petunia and her friend Bella were joking with the others and including Severus in their antitics.  It seemed to Conrad that Lilly had matured over the last term at school.  And then he saw it Lilly bent and said something to Severus, and Severus looked worried and concerned.  Whatever the little bitch had planned he would ensure that Severus was not hurt and Lilly would rue the day she thought of hurting Severus again.

 

McDonalds was noisy and rowdy affair, all the children ate their orders and amongst the upheaval Conrad spied Severus giving Lilly the money he had saved to buy Muriel’s present.  So the little bitch was blackmailing him, well he would soon put a stop to that.

 

The group made their way to Harrods of Knightsbridge by the Underground, and they all trooped into the warm store.  Lilly friend Bella was entranced by the projected moving pictures on the entrance foyers and it was a time before they could persuade the child to move into the shop.

Conrad looked round all the children were there except for the bitch Lilly and Severus, suddenly Severus appeared and said to nanny Jean “Are we going to see father Christmas now” and Nanny Jean agreed, asking where Lilly was.  Severus shrugged his shoulders and replied “Buying Ma’s present in the sweet counter, she said she’ll meet us at the grotto”

The group moved off slowly to find the Christmas Grotto, and Conrad informed Rob that he would find and wait for Lilly, and they would all meet up at the grotto.  Rob agreed and they split up.  Conrad was fuming, how dare the bitch Lilly even think of taking Severus pocket money.  He knew for a fact that Lilly had her own pocket money that Rosemary and himself gave her, it may have not been as much as she was used to, but it was enough!

Conrad made his way to the sweet hall, where the counters of handmade confectionary and cakes were.  Every type of sweets were there it seemed and then he spied Lilly at a sweet counter.

He walked over to Lilly quietly ready to tell her what he thought of her actions now towards Severus when what he heard and saw astounded him. 

He heard Lilly say to the women behind the counter politely “So you can wrap the chocolates for me and put with love to Ma…Merry Christmas…Love from Severus, and can you please wrap up this teddy for me and write Merry Christmas Severus….Love from Lilly, oh also can you please wrap up this scarf and put to Nanny Jean…Merry Christmas from Severus…” and Conrad stood there stunned as Lilly gave the woman all the presents that Severus had picked out with Lilly. 

The woman agreed to do this and then said as she rung up the amount the goods cost “Well I must say your mum and Severus are very lucky…to have such a nice daughter like you…. That will be £250.00 please” and Lilly politely thanked the woman and handed over her saved up pocket money without protest.

If Conrad had not seen with his own eyes what Lilly had done, he didn’t think he would have believed hearing about it.  Of course the family were going to take the children to buy their Christmas presents that weekend, there was a major outing planned to take the children to Lakeside shopping mall tomorrow after all.  But Lilly had ensured that Severus was able to give the gifts he wanted to give people and paid for it herself.  Yes he thought, finally believing the  reports he had heard with Rosemary from different sources including her sister, Lilly was definitely changing and growing up, but how to ensure that Lilly was able to after all buy the Christmas Presents for people she wanted to!

 

Lilly was worried now about Christmas, she had been glad to pay for Severus presents to the family, obviously it hadn’t taken her long to realize Severus had no real concept of cost of things.  Severus had written to her that he wanted to give his new ma a special Christmas present.  Lilly had suggested perhaps a box of Harrods diabetic chocolates, that she ensured him had the sugar etc. magically removed from them, so it would fine for Muriel to have the sweets. 

So Severus and herself had arranged to ensure that they visited Harrods for her to help Severus secretly purchase his ma’s sweets.  And that had led Severus seeing a number of presents he wanted to buy for other family members, and then he had fallen in love with a Harrods Christmas dated teddy, so Lilly without thinking of the consequences had brought everything with her own money and the £10.00 pocket money that Severus had given her to pay for his presents.  But she had no money left to buy anyone including her guardians and best friend Christmas presents.  She had wanted to show the family she was slowly changing, but if she had no Christmas presents for them, they would just believe that she was still the shallow bratty princess of last summer.  Oh well what was done was done, and she would just have to put up with the disappointed looks of her new family over Christmas. 

Lilly thanked the woman behind the counter, turned around and came face to face with Conrad, who beckoned her towards the restaurant in the food hall.  Lilly wandered how much he had overheard, and what he would do or say.  How could she explain to Conrad that she was not trying to buy, bribe Severus love or even make fun of him, she just wanted him to be as happy as he could be.  Lilly reluctantly followed Conrad to the restaurant

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Mary floated down the short aisle on the arm of her father, Hermione and another friend made up the bridal party. Mary looked at Choi Darcy standing facing away from her, Choi she absently noticed had seemed to have grown taller since she saw him yesterday at Gringotts bank. Just as she reached the front of the room, the Rev Collins who officiating at the bonding ceremony asked “Who gives this witch to this wizard freely” Percy replied “I give of my own free will, my beloved daughter to this man” He then handed her forward and step back to take a seat with the other witnesses. Mary lifted the veil from her face, Choi Darcy turned around and that was when Mary started screaming the embassy down.

The wizard standing before her, was tall and slim built it must be admitted. But that did not distract from the small head, large ears and protruding buck teeth he had. Worse of all for Mary, this Darcy cousin that she had bonded to had an oriental complexion.

Yes, Charles Collins would for the rest of his life be grateful to Merlin, when he given the front row seat as it were to see his latest goblin manger Thickone scheme against the light side and the Prewitt’s go down. He couldn’t wait to share his memories with everybody he knew! Thickone and Omar Darcy had been spot on, this was the bonding that everybody in the wizarding and mundane world would be talking about for years.

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Severus managed to get Grumpy Rob attention whilst he waited in line at the Christmas Grotto.  Rob came over and asked what the matter was, as Severus looked particularly upset and worried.

Severus with his large onyx eyes filled with worry and concern whispered “I think I did something very bad today”  Rob quickly went over the day, no screaming brakes, hanging out of windows or the  kitchen being blown up to mind, so he shrugged his shoulders mentally.  After all whatever Severus thought he had done wrong couldn’t be that bad, Rob encourage Severus to tell  him what was on his mind.

 

Severus took a deep breath and said “I think Lilly has spent her own money on my presents for people today…….I gave her my pocket money….it was a lot, but I don’t think enough and she brought all my presents for me”

“So are you going to pay her back Severus?” Rob asked intrigued

“No! she won’t let me…said I had enough to pay for the pressies….but if spends all her money on my pressies….how will she buy her pressies for the family?” Rob looked at Severus and whispered “While you are telling father Christmas about what you would like for Christmas…I will go and find Uncle Conrad and see what we can do to sort out the mess. Alright Severus?” and Severus nodded, after all the adults in his new family always managed to help him solve the tricky problems he had.

Rob left the line and went after speaking to Rosemary, to find Conrad and Lilly in the restaurant in Harrods food hall, thank god for mobile phones and technology thought Rob, at least in situations like this all the adults could keep in touch easily.

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The remaining Prewitt family sat in a Korean embassy  interview room astounded, they were literally fucked, the plans that Dumbledore had devised and that they had followed blindly over the years had brought them here to this room.

Their daughter the whore of Hogwarts they admitted was married to a rich wizard.  But the wizard family was only rich because they had sold everything and given that and their ancestral place to Mary’s new family.  The wizard resembled the mundane elephant man, and the Mary’s new family head had given them a days’ notice to leave their fully furnished ancestral manor.   Mary’s new family the Choi needed and wanted to move into their ancestral home as soon as possible before Yuletide eve.  They would now be staying in their son’s one bedroom flat above the Joke shop they had rented called Zonko’s!   Even the Prewitt’s house elves were now bonded to the Choi family.

Lord Percy Prewitt had demanded to see his account manager ‘Stabyoumotherf.intheback’, and had been informed that the goblin was now the account manager to a very wealthy Choi family.

Lord Prewitt was not a stupid man and knew that he had not agreed to the bonding of his daughter to a impoverish Korean strict traditional family.  He demanded to see the bonding agreement, after all he would soon have this quickly sorted out to his satisfaction. 

They heard a whispered conversation and Albus Dumbledore leader of the light entered the room, and hurried over to the distraught family.  To ensure that the mess was cleared up and that the account goblin who had arranged this bonding Thickone was severally punished for his mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this story the Korean magical society names are normally surname first and then forename.


	11. Harrods Alley and bondings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella and co are taken to Harrods, surely Bella is bored with mundane shops and transport. Lord Percy Prewitt finally tell the Goblins that a mistake was made regarding his beloved daughters bonding

 Rob found Conrad and Lilly in one of the downstairs restaurants in the food hall, he spoke to head waiter and was escorted over to their table.  He sat down and found the pair eating a strawberry tartlet and Lilly having a Coke while Conrad was having a tea.  Rob quickly ordered his refreshments from the waiter who was serving their table.  He looked around, this particular restaurant was almost hidden away in the food hall, but even so it was still busy.

 

Harrods has a number of restaurants ranging from a sea food bar to a Michelin star restaurant.  Rob knew that after Severus had seen Father Christmas then everybody in their party would make it to the chocolate fountain restaurant, where the best decadent chocolate drinks and cakes etc. were served.  Then a quick trip round the food hall and Christmas shop and they would all go to the Winter wonderland in Hyde park, ending up at the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang play in the theatre district, hopefully the day wouldn’t be too boring for Lilly’s friend Bella, after all mundane world  must seem so bland in comparison to magical world.

 

The food hall at Harrods were decorated  very ornate and old worldly thought Rob, it was a was about three large rooms split into sections or halls as they were called.  In one hall was the fresh meat, cooked meat, chilled goods and cheeses, as an example the cheese counter had on display the normal cheddar cheese indifferent strengths to specialist cheeses including Goats to Buffalo cheese. 

 

Other halls included the fruit and veg hall, that displayed a number of fruits that were in season, the halls themselves were decorated with tiling depicting different patterns and murals on the walls.  Rob still thought that you could get most of the goods at a local supermarket for a quarter of the price.  But coming to Harrods with the children during the year was a day out, and if it was a nice day then you could walk from Harrods to Oxford street via Hyde Park. 

 

He looked at the two sitting at the table and updated them on what was worrying Severus, Lilly looked aghast and said “I didn’t force Severus to buy the presents, and I had the money with me…”

Conrad stopped her and smiled, and Rob continued the conversation “Lilly! Nobody is angry with you… you did what you thought was best and would make Severus happy” Lilly nodded at this “But although Severus has severe learning difficulties, for whatever reason….he is still quite intelligent and he may not understand the reality of what things cost……he still knows that you paid out of your own money his presents he was going to  buy people….he thinks what he did was very bad, allowing you to buy his presents out of your own money”

Lilly looked at Conrad and Rob wondering if they would think and say that she had tried to bribe or buy Severus love or friendship “But I was just going to buy Severus mum’s the chocolates he picked out…he had written to me and wanted a very special Christmas present for her, so I suggested Harrods Diabetic Chocolates…I knew he wouldn’t have enough money, but I had my pocket money saved up and thought that I would just put the rest to it…..and then Severus saw these other things for people and then the teddy he liked…it is a one off, every Harrods dated Christmas bear is different…..and he looked so happy when he knew he could afford the presents……I just brought them for him, and then the teddy he picked out….I really wasn’t to trying to….”

 

 Conrad sighed and continued  interrupting Lilly “I think that both of you may have got carried away, and nobody is disappointed or telling you off Lilly…but we need to find a solution that will satisfy Severus…and I think the way to do that is you and Severus agree both to buy every bodies presents together except for your family’s presents.  Severus will be happy and you will have money to spend on Christmas presents”  with that Conrad settled the matter, he would give Lilly back the money she had spent on Christmas presents, and tomorrow all the children would be able to spend time happily  Christmas shopping at Lakeside.

Lilly felt relieved that Conrad and the rest of the adults believed her that she was only trying to make Severus happy, but she also had a warm feeling inside of her, that she had helped Severus and made him happy without wanting anything from doing so.  Lilly still felt that she returned to the bratty princess that she had been too often, but it was moments like this when she felt that she was perhaps slowly making progress and turning into a person that Bella and her family could be truly happy to know and love. 

Rob suddenly looked up dismayed and asked in a wondrous voice “Severus and you didn’t by any chance plot together to come and visit Harrods today?”

Lilly looked at the table in front of her guiltily and Conrad saved her from Robs continual questioning “No leading questions Rob, any way what else was we going to do today apart from visiting winter wonderland in Hyde park, which we are apparently doing after this”

“Conrad” asked Lilly “How did you break your hand” and with that Rob fell about laughing as Conrad tried to explain the fight with the Rev Collins.

 

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Christopher Brandon was making slow progress recovering from his stroke, he tired very easily and his left side of his body would not co-operate at all.   But the most frustrating thing for Christopher was the difficulty speaking, he had always been a smooth talker as most people would testify.  But the worst thing was that Christopher had given up, oh the therapist and nurses tried to motivate and encourage him, but he wasn’t interested.  He would be quite happy he admitted to himself to lie in bed for ever.   

He loved all his children, even his youngest son Articus, he had hoped that Articus would grow up to be more like his eldest son Tom, but the fates and lady magic had laughed at him.   Now he felt he had failed Articus and his other children, how would his two daughters ever be able to bond to who they wanted to.  He had known he should have sent Articus to that American magical camp for wayward children, when Articus report at the end of the first year quite clearly showed where he was heading.  But he had given into Lydia’s demands and Dumbledore’s explanations regarding Articus behaviour and work ethic.  Well he reaped what he had sown as the mundanes said, of course he could blame the fact that he was ill with a serious heart complaint, and the stress of trying to send Articus away, and Lydia’s reaction would have made the complaint worse. 

 

He was also very worried about his youngest son Articus, even though the teenager was a lazy idiot, he loved him and only wanted the best for him.  He had always blessed the gods that Lydia had given him four children, three who had turned out very well indeed.  He was also aware that he had only two known biological children, one was Muriel a daughter he had loved unconditionally and Articus, the son who had inherited all his worse traits. Tom and his two younger daughters were not his, Tom was of course Dumbledore’s and his two daughters were conceived when his wife had affairs with numerous men, they could even be Dumbledore’s children like Tom was for all he knew or wanted to know.  After all one of the mundane procedures to cure him of his illness had left him infertile. 

 

It was after Articus was born, that Christopher had found out that he was in ill health, his consultant called it cancer, it was luckily caught early and with treatment he had survived and beaten the illness.  Lydia had been oblivious to Christopher and his illness, she had decided that Christopher was scamming and obviously the mundane inferior healers were just taking his money.  Lydia had attended all the new way followers events, including the house parties.  Christopher had attended a few, with her and they had separate bedrooms in the manors they stayed in.  When his wife had told everybody she was yet again pregnant he had kept quiet, why should he ruin at least two children’s life’s by disowning his official bonded Lydia.  But he had informed her after the their last daughter was born that he had been persuaded to have a mundane procedure called a vasectomy.  From that day onwards Lydia had hardly spoken to him, like her mother she took to her bed with nerves every time bad news or discussions she did not approve off were acted on.  Lydia must be making his brother in law Fitzwilliam Darcy hell now, for making the decisions about Articus that had to be made and implemented.

 

Christopher knew that like his cousin in law and one of his best friends Rev Charles Collins, Fitzwilliam Darcy would ensure that what needed to be done was, Lydia’s beseeching’s and carry on’s would not deter Fitzwilliam.  Articus would be bonded to the first family that would have him now he was an Omega.  What had the child been thinking off, Articus knew about potions and the dangers of being poisoned by them or charms, Christopher had numerous times sat down and told his children the dangers of people slipping potions into their food and drinks, and the letter had come telling him that not only had Arthur been date raped as the mundanes would term it, but he was now a forced Omega, with no rights at all.

 

That was for Christopher when his life might as well have ended, for a person to be date raped or raped as the mundanes classed it was bad enough.  But Christopher as the rest of the family knew, that the blame would be put at Articus door, Christopher had thought like most parents (wizarding and mundane) that although the children at Hogwarts were housed in co-ed dormitories, that there would be in situ wards etc. to stop the children from sleeping together, or even being allowed in the opposite sex dormitories.  Christopher had thought that the children were housed in single sexed dormitories named as houses at Hogwarts.  He had been astounded when Charles had informed him the true sleeping arrangements of the children. 

 

He had immediately written to the deputy headmistress and head of Articus house to demand an explanation, she had written back ensuring that there was no way the children could be alone in each an another sex’s rooms.     The girls rooms and dormitories were heavily warded and charmed to stop the boys from entering the area or rooms.  Like a fool, he had thought that the same precautions were placed on the boys dormitories and rooms.  Obviously he was wrong, he had still planned to send Articus to the American magical school after his end of his first of years report card.  Articus was not even trying in his school work and his attitude was appalling.  Christopher  remembered when Articus had started to change when he started to attend Hogwarts, Articus  had come back at Christmas holidays, to Christopher’s horror even worse than when he had left for Hogwarts that September.  Articus had always been lazy but now his personality had developed to being a very nasty self-opinionated bullying little b…..rd, which believed that the world owed him and every Gryffindor a living.  When Christopher had tried to talk reason into Articus the sneer he had returned to him scared him, the boy informed him that he was in the light house and valued his Godfather Dumbledore opinion more that Christopher who was Articus said according to Dumbledore ‘A stupid bitter little man, who had spent too much time with the savage mundane army.  How could Articus  had taunted Christopher ‘Use the title Colonel, like his uncle used the title Rev, when everybody knew at Hogwarts and in the magical society that both had no justification for using the titles’  Christopher had looked at Articus opened mouth, he was so upset that he didn’t even clarify to Articus what right both Charles and himself had to use the titles they did.

 

So Christopher was going to do for Articus what nobody had done for him, when Dumbledore had visited him and with his wife’s wailings and shouting he had caved into Dumbledore’s assurances that the students at Hogwarts found it almost impossible to have sexual liaisons, with the wards etc. on the school.  So Articus had still been allowed to attend Hogwarts, but he had ensured his two youngest children had been educated abroad in Japan and St Lucia’s magical schools.  So out of all his children, Articus the only child to be educated at Hogwarts and had been the one to be date raped.  He would have loved to been at the first inclusive parent and governor Hogwarts meeting, and seen the expressions on the magical people present when the mundane parents and press had their say on the issue.

Christopher just knew that this was part of Dumbledore’s larger plan, to gain hold of his children’s estate, but hopefully Fitzwilliam was strong and intelligent enough to stop Dumbledore’s nefarious schemes regarding his children inheritance.

 

Christopher glanced up to see his Fitzwilliam and Charles Collins striding down the wards corridor,  with them was his valet and retired butler Mr Hudson, the three men stopped at the nurse’s station and the nurse asked one of the doctors a question.  Apparently the doctor agreed to something, and the three men slowly made their way to Christopher’s  bedside.  What Christopher didn’t realise yet, was that although he had given up on himself, the other members of his family hadn’t especially his  personal valet Hudson. 

 

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Bellatrix Black was a complicated young woman, in some ways she was as old or even older then her second year school mates, she was very intelligent as well.  But she was also like a small child as well,  for her certain things and people she believed in.  Really much like the Goblins did, she believed in Father Yuletide or Father Christmas with a passion of a young child, it was this innocence that her family had tried to keep for her.  Because her family knew that soon enough the cruel and hostile magical world would be tearing her apart.

 

The main reason for the family ensuring that Bella stayed with friends this Yuletide (and the Blacks would always be grateful to Lilly’s family for hosting their daughter.  Was that they didn’t want Bella to be hurt by the fall out of her oldest sister Andromeda’s scandal. 

 

Andromeda over the years had belittled, emotionally hurt Bella with her and Sirius taunts about her Black madness and how the only bonding agreements would be from ugly old wizards who needed a brood mare.  The taunts of here comes retard and  cuckoo from Sirius and Andromeda had left their marks though the years.  Bella’s sister Narcissa had tried to deflect and stop the bullying, but the black duo had still managed to hurt Bella. 

 

By ensuring that both Andromeda sisters were staying elsewhere for Yuletide holidays, the Black family could focus on sorting out the mess and scandal that Andromeda had glad got herself into.

 

It wasn’t often that Bella was entranced, after all she had grown up in the magical world where she and other upper class magical children were told that the mundanes still lived in shacks and hovels, and had done of the comforts or advances of the mundane society.  After all Dumbledore and his supporters had informed everyone in magical society that mundanes were more like magical creatures or animals then magical people (he never said that out right, but the hints and general conversation told people what he thought of the mundane world and mundanes) 

 

It was true to say that Bella had been apprehensive if not afraid about staying in the mundane world,  but at the present time Bella was almost hoping that she would never have to go back to the boring magical world.  Take today, you went on a train UNDERGROUND mundane London, to get to this covered  mundane Diagon Ally! That was warm and had lights from the ceiling.  Mundane personal in smart uniforms opened the doors for you, and moving paintings on the floor moved and made funny patterns when you stepped on them.  You even went and handed your coats and bags etc. into a room where nice mundane people kept them till you were ready to go, after all the mundane Diagon Alley was so warm and inviting, that wearing your cloaks and outerwear would ensure you were to warm to be comfortable!

 

Everything you wanted to buy was on counters or hung up and you just picked up what you want and paid for it at a counter.  Bella had even overheard a mundane order a scarf from a ‘shop assistant’ as they were called.  It was so different to Diagon alley, there you were measured, pulled around for clothes.  The shops were small and pokey and some assistants were rude, even when you were polite because you were from a dark family, and seen as being a little different form other people.

 

Lilly had explained very nicely, that this Harrods Street was very expensive to buy from and that only the very rich mundanes shopped at Harrods Street normally, for most people it was treat to come here.  Bella could understand this, after all she was there standing with Severus in line to see Father Christmas was so fascinating.  Mundane’s Father Christmas was their  Father Yuletide, but he must like the mundane’s more because he only allowed them to see him.  To get to see him you had to wait in a line and who wouldn’t, Bella would have waited all day and night to get to speak to  Father Yuletide.  Why wasn’t anybody else going to see the man, didn’t they know how lucky they were to even see him and to meet the man and his elves was just awesome. 

 

When she was waiting in line to see Father Christmas with Severus, Severus turned to her and had stated “that really they were too old to see a funnily dressed man and tell him their Christmas present list.  Anyway he knew that Uncle Mike cut the real Father Christmas hair and that everybody above the age of five or six knew to ensure that your letter detailing exactly what you wanted was given to your parents so it could be sent to the real Father Christmas!”

 

Bella had tried to get Severus to tell where this Uncle Mike lived, Severus had shrugged his shoulders and pointed to his cousin Charles and said “Charles da cuts Father Christmas hair, everybody knows Bella that the last customer Uncle Mike has in the shop is Father Christmas….so we have to be so good even on Christmas Eve…he even has he his personal mobile number!”  Severus whispered even lower “Pearl has even told me that nobody knows who Father Christmas really looks like….we could see him in the street and not know who he is”

“But Father Christmas looks like Father Christmas!” Bella exclaimed logically

Severus stood there examining his nails and said in a most professor Snape way “Really! Why would Father Christmas go around dressed as funny man in red outfit with a false beard all the time?.....no it makes sense that the real father Christmas does not look at all what we think he does….In fact I know who the real father and mother Christmas is”

“Really! Really!...who is it….tell me if you know….please..please..Severus…please Severus?” pleaded Bella

Severus took pity on Bella and whispered “not here! The adults and others can over hear…and Father Christmas would not be happy for his identity to be widely known…. ** _I’ll tell you when we are alone….promise!_** ”  and Bella couldn’t wait to find out who the real Father Christmas was!

Bella was beside herself, not only did you get to speak to a Father Christmas employee and tell him what you wanted and explain about  those few little hexes to Andromeda over the year (she desevered them) but you even wrote a letter and asked again for the presents you wanted) and now her and Severus were making their way through Santa’s magical kingdom where it was nice and warm, but there was still snow on the ground and Father Christmas House elves had ensured that the paths were snow free (even Hogwarts had snow on its paths), there were twinkling stars in the big Christmas trees of different colours and they moved around. The animals moved with the snowmen.  And music played all the time, Bella could have stayed here all the time, but finally with Nanny Jean they made it to see pretend the Father Christmas, and Bella told him what she wanted, after all apologising for that very nasty hex to her cousin Sirius (she made sure to explain why the little git deserved the hex more than her sister Andromeda).  Included in her list was a tee-shirt (Lilly had called it) and  a handbag she had seen on the way here, there was a picture of a very pretty woman on the items (Harry had told her it was Marilyn Monroe and the pictures were from a painting by the artist  Andy Whoral).  Of course Bella wouldn’t get them, it was too soon near Yuletide day after all, but perhaps next year.

 

Then Bella and Severus got their own present from Father Christmas and had  a picture taken with him, and a big cup with their picture on it.  Which Bella knew she would have to take a copy to Hogwarts with her, after all nobody would believe her when she told them about meeting Father Yuletide employee in person. 

 

They joined up with Lilly and her dad and Granddad Grumpy in the winter wonderland shop, MUNDANES COULD BUY ORNAMENTS that went on their Christmas trees, there were balls in different colours, animals and fairies.   They even could decorate their gardens with the ornaments and special lights if they wished.  There were lights that went on either real trees or Yuletide trees that mundanes made form a material called plastic.  There were large garlands and baubles that hung from the ceiling and already printed parchments with pictures on them wishing people a merry Christmas and a happy new year, all you had to do was add your name to the parchment.  Bella had asked Rosemary if she could have a set of these parchments, and Rosemary said that they some already at home that Bella could write on!   Everybody got a bauble with their name and the year on it, with a Harrods dated bauble to go on Grumps and Gran Christmas tree, Bella got one as well to hang up as well.   She also got her parents a Harrods dated bauble as well for their Yuletide tree.

 

But the whole of Harrods Diagon Alley was decorated with Christmas decorations, and mundanes wore such funny clothing.  Some mundanes wore traditional magical robes and clothes, and the rest of the mundanes wore different clothing.   Bella even saw a man wear a top that said

‘Father Christmas  I have been very good this year,

Alright Good this year

Sometimes bad this year (but I can explain)

Oh forget I will buy my own presents’

So did that mean Father Christmas brought for the mundane grownups as well.  Everywhere was hustle and bustle, people laughing and joking and children trying to get their parents attention.  It was so magical, and wonderful, that Bella just wanted to know why Diagon Alley couldn’t be like this.  Even at Yuletide the Diagon Merchants looked down their noses at dark family members.  Many times Bella mother had been forced to wait till every light family member or mundane was served before them, but in Harrods Alley there was even a rope barrier that everybody waited behind patiently to be served.  Some people of course got served first, but Bella noticed they either only had a few items, or were old or had difficulty moving and the other mundanes in the queue let them in!

 

They all then trooped to the Chocolate heaven, oh wait until Bella told everybody in Slytherin that the mundanes had something even better than Fortescue’s ice cream shop….they had a Chocolate restaurant in their Harrods Alley, where you were served hot chocolate in large glasses with whipped cream and ice cream on top.  You could have chocolate cake, small chocolate cakes, ginger chocolate coffees etc.  Severus whispered to Bella “If you think this is good, I’ll get them to take us to the M&M shop”, Bella nodded yes, after all she didn’t know what M&M’s were, but if they were anything like this chocolate she would be in heaven literally.  After her fourth drink after all she had to try all the different type of Chocolate drinks (and there were a lot more for her try, if she was allowed to return with Lilly’s new family) everybody made their way to the next venue.

 

But Bella was so frustrated that she had to wait for Severus to tell her who the real Yuletide Father was.  Was he that Black mundane man.  She hoped it wasn’t that frightening looking stern one eyed man, or perhaps it was the nice old white man who had all the toys.  It might even be the small Chinese looking man, because if Severus was right, then Father Yuletide or Christmas might not even be white!

 

Petunia was glad to see Severus and Lilly actually liking each other and mucking about, Severus and Lilly had been taken to one side by Uncle Conrad and she heard Severus even tell Lilly off about something.  And then the both of them were teasing a very happy Bella, who looked devastated when she was told they were moving on to Hyde Parks Winter Wonderland.  Alright Harrods was great for a day out, but it was after all only a very expensive crowded shop.  Magical society must have better and more spectacular shops than they had in the mundane world had.

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Mary Prewitt had been graced with a new Korean name by her family she was now known as Choi De mimon delin and was married to the third son of a very traditional Korean magical family.  The child that she was carrying would be blood adopted by her bonded Choi Darcy, and he was happy to ensure that she was left at the mercy of her new mother and sisters.

 

Her husband was a respected academic that taught at the local magical/mundane university.  He cared more for researching and teaching Charms then for anything else.  Darcy was in fact asexual in nature, but for his families honour and his bloodline he needed to marry, and if money came with the bonding it was a bonus.  De mimon delin as she was now known had needed to bond quickly, so that her family escaped the scandal of her being pregnant without being bonded.  She could still hear her father shouting that she was like “those rutting animals the mundanes, whose daughters became pregnant at twelve at the latest!” and her mother’s weeping.

 

And then Stabyoumotherf.intheback the family’s account manager had approached her father, there was a solution to the problem.  But it involved marriage into a foreign magical family, would cost the family all the remaining wealth and assets they had.  When her father had heard the word Mr Darcy, he had nearly snapped the goblins hand off. 

 

 But her bonded was not the Mr Darcy she had seen leaving Gringotts that day, her Darcy was an ugly, intellectual bore who left her to his families mercy.  If  Choi De mimon Delin thought that Slytherin and old family traditions and strict hierarchal statuses  were harsh it was nothing to her new her new family’s lifestyle.  She was a virtual prisoner within her families homes, including her childhood home.  Every moment of the day she was escorted and chaperoned by family members if she was allowed outside the family homes, or by the families house elves if she was at home. 

 

She knew that her bonded whilst not a harsh or abusive man like her father was, did not care for her but only for ‘their child’ she was carrying.  As long as she had all the physical comforts she needed, then she could be at the mercy of her crone of a mother-in-law.   And the woman was a bitch from Dantes inner circle. 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Percy Prewitt sat in his sons one bedroom flat and listened to his bonded never ending nagging and wailing.  Well Albus Dumbledore the ultimate Slytherin that his father had warned him was right Goblins were the scum of the earth and should be eradicated.  He tuned out his bonded’s rantings and remembered the interview in the Korean interview with the Darcy Goblins account manager.

_Flashback_

Dumbledore joined Percy and his family at the table in the interview room in the Korean embassy, the room was basic and held an oval table with ten chairs round it.  It was carpeted and there were decanters of water with glasses on the table.

 

Percy would never forget being escorted to tis room  by a mundane employee, it was scandalous that they were not trusted.  The official had stated that all visitors even the Queen of England would be escorted around the embassy.  There was after all a lot of secretive and confidential information held at the embassy.  As if anybody magical would stoop so low as to want to find out mundanes petty business.

 

The family had sat down and waited for the Goblins representative, Percy knew he would never live down the shame of his daughters bonding day.  To have to walk out the bonding room with his daughter now married to the modern mundane elephant man was shameful, and then to bear the congratulations of the Darcy’s and the traditional followers was almost more than he could endure.

Standing in the receiving line waiting to greet all the guests to his daughters travesty of a bonding breakfast was horrific and embarrassing.  He knew the guests were smirking behind their covered hands literally. 

 

The mundane Korean official (known to mundanes as the master of ceremonies) made sure to announce each guest correctly and as tradition dictated, he had also announced the happy couple full title to the audience.   Of course instead of saying that  ‘I Present Mr and Mrs Darcy’ the idiot said ’ ** _Mr and Mrs Darcy Choi_** may I present Mr and Mrs Darcy’ not once oh no for every guest that was received by the bridal party.

Of course you couldn’t fault the bonding breakfast menu, it consisted of

                             Salmon ceviche with Vanilla, pink peppercorns and dill crème fraiche

                                                          Ramyeon soup with Mandu (dumplings)

                                                                        Truffle roasted duck

                                           Pork secretos with artichokes and red wine tapioca

                                           Chocolate cylinder and smoked hazelnut  praline

                                                          Cheese board and biscuits

With the wines, and champagnes to go with the menu of course all free courtesy of the bride’s family footing the bill!  As per the old ways tradition the guests gave the ‘happy couple’ money as a gift and the money went straight to the Goblin opened account for their first born son.  Not a single penny would be making it into Marys old family’s hands, the goblins and the Choi family had seen to that.

 

The first waltz was led by the happily bonded couple, and of course the Rev Collins just had to stick it to Percy with his ‘If only I had known what splendour and status my son Thomas  would have married into, if I allowed the bonding of the Prewitt’s girl to him….oh how I should have listened to Albus and Augusta Longbottom all those years ago! But I didn’t, and as the good book says you reap what you sow’

 

The room was decorated with the white lily’s and blue bell flowers theme from the actual bonding ceremony, with the each table having a flower centre peace consisting  of  mistletoe, ivy, snowball, orange blossoms, narcissus, violets, daffodils.

 

The tables and chairs were covered by white silk covers with blue bell coloured edging.  At the wedding speeches the Rev Collins in his pompous voice wish “the very clearly happy bonded couple a  Romany gypsy blessing passed down his blood line ‘a very long life to you and yours, the health for you and yours that you wish on others, and for you and yours to reap the harvesting of you labors and sowing of your seeds’  Everybody of course politely clapped the Reverend. And there were of course oohs and arhs when Mary’s new bonded gave her as a bonding present a gold and platinum bracelet and necklace with daffodil, day lily, daisy, and narcissus flowers jewels inter woven in it.

 

The couple thanked both set of parents for their support for them on their bonding day, two bunches of flowers were given to both bonded mothers, and then dancing and greetings took up the rest of the bonding breakfast. 

 

All through the wedding breakfast that had literally cost the Prewitt’s their last knutt, Percy and his bonded had to sit and make nice.   Pretending that they were so happy for the bonding of their daughter to a inconsequential academic Korean from a trade, instead of the rich Egyptian cousin of Mr. Darcy of Pemberley.    Oh yes heads would roll for this momentous cock up today, the Prewitt’s would soon be reimbursed for the money and hardship they had suffered.  Of course they would accept the apologies from the goblins with good grace, but they would ensure that never forgot this traitorous move on the goblins part.

So here they were sitting around this table with Albus the leader of the new ways sitting with them trying to sort out this mess.  Really the quicker the mess was sorted out the better. 

The door opened and in walked Thickone, Stabyoumotherf.intheback and Terickster32oureniemies followed by the Gringotts bank manager.  He was glad to see that the Goblins had brought in to the meeting the Rev Collins.

 

Gringotts bank manager sat down, and motioned the Rev Collins to sit beside him.  Percy noticed that the three other goblins stood behind the Gringotts bank manager much like a mafia godfathers retinue would be expected to. 

 

The old goblin asked Percy “Lord Prewitt!  What grievance has the Goblin nation through Gringotts its English magical bank done you?”

 

Dumbledore cleared his throat and started “It is with great…” suddenly there was a goblin sword at Dumbledore’s throat and the bank manager sneered “I did not ask the great and good leader of the New Ways Albus Dumbledore to speak on behalf of the complainant…..he will hold his peace unless his evidence or opinion is called for….the petitioner Lord Percy will speak for himself and his family…please proceed Lord Prewitt”

Percy cleared his throat and stated “My daughter was bonded to the wrong wizard today.  I did not grant the bonding rites or sign the contract for my daughter Lady Mary Prewitt to bond with a Darcy Choi a Korean….I signed the bonding agreement for my daughter Lady Mary Prewitt to bond with Egyptian Choi Darcy….therefore I demand re compensation for the error and mismanagement the Goblin Nation through their bank Gringotts have caused!”

 

The Goblin Godfather coughed and was handed a scroll, which he unrolled and asked of Lord Prewitt “Is this your signature here and here?” Percy nodded, the Goblin looked at the scroll and sneered there is nothing wrong with this agreement, your daughter Lady Mary Prewitt was bonded to the right wizard”

 

“No! he wasn’t! I demand re…” The goblin looked very bored, turned to the Rev Collins, who stood and bowed to the Goblin and kissed the Goblin ring finger and asked “Rev Collins, who did you agree to bond to whom when you signed this bonding agreement?”

 

Charles looked very contrite and said “The bonding of Lady Prewitt to Mr. Darcy Choi of Korea, the bonding was to be held in Mr. Choi’s countries mundane British Korean embassy”

 

Percy stood up frothing at the mouth and shouted at Charles “How much are the back biting, thieving little shits paying you Charles holy that bloody thou”

Charles looked at Percy and said very slowly just keeping his temper in check “I would watch your tongue Percy! Dumbledore cannot help you from this mess you put yourself in this time……DO NOT INSULT MY FRIENDS OF MANY YEARS!” and with this Charles included the three Goblins behind the Godfather Goblin “Also it is very UNWISE TO PISS OFF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE JUST GRANTED YOU A LOAN….AKA THE GOBLINS….your whore of a daughter Lady Mary Prewitt date raped by cousins son by potions…bringing great distress to his father and family….IF YOU HAD READ THE BONDING AGREEMENT AND TAKEN TIME TO SEE THAT IT WAS A KOREAN WIZARD YOU DAUGHTER WAS BONDING…” with this Charles respectively took the bonding agreement form the Goblin, spread it out and showed the part where the bonders nationality was mentioned, and it clearly stated that Darcy Choi was Korean, he then continued “Or even researched other wizarding countries correct family titles…you would have realized that in many oriental traditional wizarding families they are addressed by their family name first then their first name, in the case the Family Choi, and the son Darcy….but you were to pompous or greedy to read the contract Lord Prewitt!  Were you not?”

 

**_End of flashback_ **

 

And all Percy could do when he finally realized what he had signed away, was listen to the anguish sobbing and wailing of his bonded by the side of him.  The Prewitt family were now literally back to where his great great great grandparents had started, the family living behind their shop.   In fact the Prewitt family were now worse off than Percy’s long ago dead relatives, they hadn’t owed anybody money, but the Pewitts did!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have always seen Bella as very childlike and innocent in my stories, especially as a child herself. I do believe that her difference would have led to her being bullied by her sister and Sirius for being different.  
> I also wanted in this story to show a magical child being as awestruck with the backward mundane world, as muggle children are with the magical world. And Bella is the vehicle for this in this story! - sorry


	12. The Rich man in his castle, the poor man at his gate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albus looks back over his very long life, the decisions and regrets he has

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please be aware Dumbledore bashing, and thanks to trickster32 for editing this chapter. Part of this chapter is based upon the two folktales regarding Will-o-wisp and death playing cards with man who soul he tried to collect - enjoy

Albus looked out of the headmaster’s office and sighed.  He was a hero, the wizard and man who had always fought the darkness, the evil and the undesirables.  When he had read the mundane books about an abused boy who fought darkness and dark magic, he realised what he had to do to ensure that the dark magic and old ways were extinguished forever and that the mundane and magical society were always separated, and that involved planning a war that would ensure for once the dark was defeated and the Light side won for all time.

 

He identified with the novelist character Albus, headmaster of a magical school.  After all she might have been writing about him, the one person with the intelligence, knowledge and lightness to know what was needed to defeat the old dark ways.  The ways and dark magic that had forever tainted his beloved England, and his soul. 

The great and beautiful hymn by Cecil Francis Alexander ‘All things bright and beautiful’ where she states the natural order of things in verse three

The rich man in his castle

The Poor man at this gate

God made them high and lowly

And ordered their estate

Such a pity that the mundanes had butchered the hymn, by very often not singing that important third verse.   Trying to eradicate the natural and right order of man in both muggle and magical society. Yes he identified with Albus the hero of the mundane story, the man who knew and had to plan for the future continuation of the magical society.

Albus Dumbledore was not a stupid man and realized that the greater good for society is subjective to the person who is deciding what it is. That is why magical society needed a hero a great man like him, a man not afraid to make and implement the hard choices in life, so other people could sleep at night, safe in the knowledge that their life’s were well ordered. 

For Dumbledore the greater good is ensuring that the status quo in the magical society stays the same, that the great in society ruled from their castles, and the poor man excepted and were happy with the crumbs from the great men gave them.

Of course Dumbledore could still remember when the vote had been given to all men over the age of 25 in British muggle society. He couldn’t remember the prime minster of the time who had stated that they had to now educate their masters, the common uneducated man. Of course giving all men the vote had led over a period of time for it being extended to women. Dumbledore was aghast that women could be allowed not only to vote, but to hold the highest positions of power, the muggles had for pity sake elected Margaret Thatcher who was a woman. Then the muggles had invited and tried to incorporate other inferior culture and races, leading to their multi-cultural society. 

No for the sake of the magical society and not for his position in it, the status quo had to stay the same, this meant that only the old Light families that held Lordships could be trusted to ensure the right decisions were made and enforced. They controlled the Ministry, and the Minister of magic. Dumbledore knew it was a paternalistic society, but he also understood that ordinary people could not know what was in their best interests, and couldn’t be trusted to make the right and difficult decisions. The fact that over a period of time he had become the most powerful member of their society, only endorsed his views of how a society should be run.

He remembered all those years ago, when Hogwarts was founded by the four idiots.  There had come a realization that the gift of magic was arbitrary, and did not pass down bloodlines.  He had been a young mage at the time, his magic encompassed the dark side of magic, the emotions that ruled him and his magic and his father had paid the ultimate  price for his following of the dark ways.

His father had been away, when Albus had killed the  twenty muggles boys for torturing his youngest sibling, his sister who was a retard.  A witch who should have been bonded at twelve, thirteen at the latest.  But his sister was touched and nobody would bond to one such as her.  But her family loved her, and so when he saw the muggles torturing her including the Lord's son, he flipped and killed them.  The emotions he felt, Love, hatred, anger allowed him to cast a killing spell at them, and then they lay dead.  The Lord’s sheriff came for him, but his father willingly took his place and was hung for the crime of killing the boys.  Albus had then realized that the Light followers were correct, magic was only safe in their hands, where the elimination of emotions ensured that the gift of magic was not wielded unwisely.

Dumbledore knew that for muggles magic is magic, and for the magical society that he was born into there was no evil or good magic, there were differing shades of color in magic. And a country’s magic differs from country to country. Some country’s magic is labelled dark in nature; some is light in nature, others are grey in nature the mixture of the dark and light. What determines the nature of the countries magic is emotion.

Now Dumbledore understood that British magic had always been dark, it washes over people like a hot shower, or a cool wind on a hot day. It comforts people, and wraps them up at night like a warm blanket. For a practical, pragmatic people, that try to hide their emotions from strangers and sometimes friends, the British magic is filled with emotion, the laughter, the sadness and the emotions in between. Because Dark magic as the Jedi Knights in the film Star Wars would say is fueled by emotion, to be able to cast strongly using dark magic, then the magical person has to use their emotions to feel and use the magic, and surprisingly for most native British wizards, they instinctively know how to channel their emotions into their magic. Dark magic can like Light magic do a lot of damage and kill people, but dark magic has the most comprehensive healing and protection spells known to wizards.

So if the British magic is very dark in nature, how did the light supporters manage to not only take over wizarding Britain but outlaw the natural supporters of British magic as evil, the answer starts with the conquers of Britain the Romans.

The Roman wizards used predominantly light magic, magic that relied on logic and rules that had to be followed, the light magic followers had banished emotions in the casting of their magic. All spells had to be cast without emotion, with a calm and logic outlook from the wizard, light magic became a harsh and uncompromising, it is like the jobs worth or religious follower that can only follow the rules that have been laid down over time, there is no randomness or improvising in light magic, as there is in dark magic. In time the light magic supporters began to be afraid to use their emotions at all in magic, they saw the use of emotions to fuel magic casting as evil and unpredictable. The light wizards were some of the priests of the Roman god and goddess, over time they became the advisors of emperors and then popes and religious figures, so when the Roman conquered Britain, the Roman light wizards were scared and horrified by the magic that the Britons naturally used.

Magic in Britain was not separated into artificial groups, the wizards or druids as very wise and great magical individuals taught everybody, including the creatures that magic was everybody’s birth right. A farmer they reasoned had the magic to grow the crops for their communities, a mother had the magic and knowledge to bring up and support the next generation. Wizards were seen just as natural priests and priestess that had a duty to help and support their communities, they fought for them, protected and healed them. The Romans came and conquered Britain and tried to banish the inclusive natural magic of Britain.  They tried to separate magic from the British communities, by killing the British druids and outlawing the British druidic religion.  They artificially separated the British magical citizens that were left from their communities.

But it is difficult to banish a countries natural magic, whether it be dark, light or grey. Lady magic finds a way to ensure the continuation of the magic whether it be light or dark. 

Then the three lords of the universe had decided to ensure the continuation of dark magic, by using the savage muggles!  They took the concept of the Hog Father from the Disc world and transplanted into British muggle culture and society of the time.  But unlike the Hog father, the muggle Father Christmas is from a long line of muggles with no noticeable magical gift.  

Father Christmas or Yuletide Father as magical children call him is not from only one blood line,  Father Christmas and its magic  handed from one muggle to another.  At the end of a long life, the old Father Christmas selects his successor.  There are of course rules to govern the selection, the new Father Christmas must be married, there can be no offspring to the couples union.  But they must be part of an extensive and all-encompassing family, and Father Christmas must never look like what people have come to see or expect as Father Christmas.   Lady magic of course ensures that the right successor is selected by the outgoing Father Christmas.

And all this is completed to ensure that magic cannot die, for every year just after the old yuletide solstice the muggles celebrate the festival Christmas.  And it is on Christmas eve every year, when the muggles children believe in magic through Father Christmas, that the bond between Lady magic and dark magic is re-affirmed and strengthened. 

Albus through the years has tried to destroy and kill the numerous Father Christmases, to finally be able to destroy for all time what he perceived as dangerous and  dark magic.  But Father Christmas amongst the muggles children has grown. And then the muggle children grow up and continue the cycle again with their own children!  Albus had tried to stop Father Christmas from spreading magic on Christmas eve throughout the western world, but Father Christmas cannot be stopped by using magical means.  His gift or power from Lady magic to spread and allow the muggles to reaffirm the bond with dark magic, does not use or consist of magic.

It is death, time, fates and fortune that have given and granted Father Christmas the power to allow the muggles to reaffirm the dark magic bond yearly.

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But the young Albus Dumbledore had learnt to his cost how evil dark magic was, how using any emotion in casting your magic would ensure that it hurt people, destroyed the good and just, supported and advanced the evil and dishonest. 

From the day that Albus had killed the twenty muggle boys, he had followed the light way, he had managed to control his emotions.  He had learnt over time to ensure that what he planned was for the greater good.

He was a young man when he met Death on the way to somewhere, but unlike the Preverell brothers, where  Death met them on the bridge of the river.  And as in the famous fable they each won an artifact through using  trickery and their magic to defeat Death. The artifacts were lost though time, but occasionally became reunited at odd times, to cause damage and heartache to the users. 

Albus was the man who in the muggle stories played cards with Death for his life, and he won.  His reward or punishment was not to die at his pre-ordained time, but to live until one of two conditions had been met. 

The first condition was that Lucifer would once again claim Albus soul and take it down to hades with him. Of course Lucifer could never conceive of taking to his domain such a pure and noble soul, untainted with the misdeeds or sins.   His life had been given to good work and morals, he had humbly ensured that the dark magic was overcome, until only a very small residue was left.

Of course if Albus had only asked Lucifer why he didn’t want Albus soul, it would hurt such a honourable and perfect man.  Lucifer in his domain had informed the Lords of the universe that he would never accept Albus soul into his kingdom.  After he had been tricked by Albus, soon after the first meeting with death, when he was imprisoned up a tree by Albus, until his friend the arch angel Gabriel rescued him!  No according to Lucifer, Albus soul was too tainted by evil to be ever be redeemed.  Best just stick him with Hitler etc. and the rest of the time lords beyond time and space!

The other condition was that Albus had to live on the earth until the three lords of the universe had deemed that Albus had learnt his lesson at last, or was imprisoned for all time by them. They had decided that Albus had to have the chance learn and realise  that magic was encompassing gift, and that all shades of magic were not only natural but required to ensure the balance in nature herself.  

He had been alive when the  Roman Emperor Claudius refused to believe the justified roman magical communities hatred and fear of Britain and its magic. It appeared to him to be misconstrued and wrong. This emperor admired the British and during his reign ensured that the British population had relative freedom, but he knew that his family would kill him eventually. So he gave to the Britain’s his greatest treasure his only magical son (Severus), so they could raise him in safety and ensure his family linage carried on, the emperor knew that this son he gave to the Britain’s to adopt was a dark wizard, and he was proud of the child.

The Britain’s hid the child in plain sight of the Romans and the light supporters, the emperors line continued to this day, all his descendants from his son had roman emperor names, the family name was changed to Son of Claudius, which was shortened quite quickly to Prince. And Claudius son grew to be a powerful dark wizard, who because of strength and leadership qualities was proclaimed the natural leader of the British magical community, which by this time had to go underground to survive. Over the long years of his life, Severus decided that he wanted children from all over the British Isles that had the magical ability to be taught to use their magic for the betterment of their communities, whether they be muggle, half blood, or laughing pure blood, he never choose between magical creatures such as Goblins, Vampires or Werewolves, a person’s magic was a gift from lady magic and not a right.

Severus towards the end of his long life, that had seen the demise of the Romans, King Arthur and Merlin. He at the end  gathered together four magical tutors, and gave them the task of building the first magical school that taught how to use magic correctly and ethically. How to protect the less fortunate with your magical gift, how to heal people and help them towards the gates of paradise. The teachers of the school only task was to help the magically gifted learn how to control their magic whether they had an infinity with light or dark magic, or even grey magic. The school was Hogwarts, and the four tutors were the four founders of the school and friends.

The four houses of Hogwarts were originally two all witches and two all wizard houses.  Gryffindor and Hufflepuff house were where the light originated children were sorted.  Slytherin and Ravenclaw house housed the dark affiliated children. It soon became noticeable to Albus that the dark houses contained the British born students. The light houses were comprised of the Roman conquers children. 

Albus as a young tutor knew that for the good of magic the Dark ways and dark followers had to eradicated, he knew how dangerous the dark side was, how the use of emotion in magic led to death  and destruction.  It also perhaps help him to realise how dangerous dark magic was, when he saw that the British conquers the Romans were the bringers of Light magic to British shores. How noble, strong, respected and powerful the light magics of Rome were.  How as the priest and priestess they ensured that the Roman Emperors followed their advice.  Not for them living in the same hovels and shacks as the rest of their communities, helping their communities because magic demanded it.

Albus noticed that powerful magical light people, were natural leaders who were followed blindly, by the very powerful in Roman society.  They were the first real ‘rich and powerful  men in their temples’ and the rest of society accepted the crumbs from their lavish tables.  But Albus being as perfect and noble as he was, never acquired power and wealth just for himself to use.  No he acquired the power and wealth to use for the betterment of magical society, the fact that magical society ensured that a worthy man as himself had always the little and major luxuries in life just proved to him that he was right in his evaluation of the light magic and its traditions.

Albus made a plan, he ensured the continuation of his line.  After all he had base needs that needed to be attended to, and just in case death or Lucifer reclaimed his soul. Women, be it witches or muggles, fell at his feet and throughout his long and noble life until quite recently, and it had been easy to ensure that he procured children. 

His brother’s line had prospered, of course not as wealthy or powerful as Albus was. It terminated at his nephew Aberforth, who had turned to Albus heartache and sorrow to the dark and old ways. Forsaking Albus wise counsel and advice, but hopefully the child would over time see the error of his ways and return to the light side and it’s ways.

When the founders died Albus started to separate the magic and muggle society, with the aid and support of the powerful citizens and Catholic church.  He started to ensure that the dark side and old traditionalists were marginalized.  It took centuries but as in all good stories and legends. The light side managed over the years after the deaths of the founders to demonize the dark magic supporters.

He ensured that Hogwarts herself were funded by the British monarchy, recently culminating in the stupid mundane government.  It was also funded through the old families, and recently the stupid muggle children families, who thought their precious children were being given superior education.    

Albus for the greater good, had to ensure the eradication of dark magic, only light could remain.  It meant when the two societies had finally been separated with the help of the Catholic church and powerful in society, that wars between the light and dark sides were planned out, and the light side always won.  Demonizing even further in the British magical community the dark side.

It had only taken a couple of centuries of planning to almost realize his aims all those years ago when he had first started to follow the Light side, but the supporters and families of dark magic had proved to be tenuous in nature.  

But Dumbledore over a long period of time now controlled magical society, countries bowed to him.  People were afraid of him, but he was not a vindictive man, he was the wise father.  The father who ensured that for the best,  disciplined his children often very harshly it was true.  But a father knows that to spare the rod, spoils the child.  As the muggle christen bible states.

He had for the good of the magical family at large, thrown out the old British families the Claudians during the muggle first war with just the clothes on their backs.  His dislike of the Goblins had turned to outright hatred when the sniveling little dark creatures would not give him or his supporters access to the Claudians families their money or assets. He after all needed the money and assets not for his own use, but to use to ensure that his plans to eradicate the dark side were sucessful.

Then the muggle world had tried to break his control on magical society, joining with and advising from the background Lord Voldemort’s group.  Dumbledore still  shuddered when he thought about how radical the dark sides ideas and plans were at the beginning, and how they wanted to reform magical society.  Lord Voldemort’s group had wanted to ensure the magical society had embraced democracy'. He had been dismayed that the ‘dark supporters’ had after the muggle second world war and the supposed defeat of Grimwald, had started to demand more rights for the disenfranchised members of the magical society. They had started to demand that the magical society should become democratic, and their argument was that society would then start to evolve, for Merlin’s sake the dark supporters had even wanted magical health care and education to be free for everyone, not just for individuals who could pay.

The dark supporters had wanted all the different species to be able vote, just like the muggle societies and other international magical societies outside Britain and northern Europe were run.

It had taken a period of time, but bit by bit membership and therefore rights for dark creatures, and thinking beasts had been dismantled, and then these supposedly dangerous creatures and beasts were supposed to be controlled for the safety of wizarding and therefore magical society. This for Dumbledore had the many benefits, one had included making sure that the dark creatures (like the cowardly bully  Gryffindor student Lupin) he befriended and helped, became indebted to him, and carried out what the dirty work he needed doing.

But to Dumbledore’s anger, the dark creatures and beasts kept giving him the proverbial finger. The werewolves kept themselves to themselves and had like the centaurs evolved their own society which operated outside the wizarding one, but interacted successfully with the savage muggle society.  The Goblins on the other hand, controlled the money and all magical and wizarding contracts, curse breaking etc, not only was their society independent, but the wizarding society couldn’t function without them.

The Vampires were not only literally blood suckers, but due to their intelligence and long lives, had taken control of the legal profession. Some vampires literally could remember the Doomsday book, there was even one who had been part of William the conquers elite invading force.  The head of all world vampire and clans even remembered and hated Albus from his youth, vowing to ensure that Albus was defeated at last for all time.

After the second world war, he had given Poppy Pomphrey’s father sanctuary from the Nazi hunting that the muggles had started.  He had after all just made it out of the German muggle society into his native British magical society himself.  The wizard  a German  medi-wizard had through the camps, developed a means of transplanting into a squibs core, the core of another.  Of course there was sacrifices involved for the donor, but that was acceptable.  After all transplanting the cores of dark affiliated children into the squibs of light followers, was a noble and just decision.  Dark affiliated magical children did not deserve the gift of magic, and that was why he endured the dark families like the Blacks and Malfoys.   There children cores were needed to ensure the continuation of the light families children. 

But losses had to be endured, and it seemed that the dark affiliated families would be leaving with the poor from British magical society.  Well it didn’t matter, the light followers were the majority of the magical society now.  It was a shame that the muggle governments including the Americans and Russians still wanted his blood for his supposed crimes during the second world war with the Nazi regime.

Dumbledore knew for the greater good of society, sacrifices had to be reluctantly made. One was the marriage of James Potter and Lilly Evans, with their marriage and subsequent deaths. Dumbledore only wanted them married to produce an heir, then he would have them killed, without getting his fingers dirty. With them dead and the heir under his control and hidden away with its abusive muggle relatives for its own safety, Dumbledore would be able to control the Potters fortune and lordship seats.

Only Severus had gone and upset his plans. For years Dumbledore since his mother a squib had been reluctantly thrown out of the Prince family, on the advice of course of Albus.  Albus had planned that Severus would become his spy, and with the guilt and hatred that Severus would have had, he would have been Dumbledore’s perfect pawn. Not only that but when Severus had completed his potions mastery then the money Dumbledore could save,

when he had ensured that Severus had to teach at Hogwarts, under almost slave conditions.

Dumbledore had started the long process of grooming him into his role, undermining Severus, ensuring that he was abused at home and bullied and belittled by the staff and students at Hogwarts, during Severus first year. Ensuring that Severus embraced the dark side, Dumbledore had even ensured that the sorting hat had placed Severus in Slytherin.

And Severus is the last heir of this bloodline, it is important to get him under control. Even as a cracker, he could sway them to his side. The darker families have always followed the Claudians. Should they learn his true identity, then it would be too late for Dumbledore to fulfill his plans.

But oh no the little shit had to just get adopted, with parents and family that loved and supported him. Really what was the use of ensuring that certain children were abused by their families for the greater good of course, when said children turned round and gave him the proverbial finger.

Then the mud blood girl Lilly Evans had to change, becoming instead of a light fanatical supporter and bully from the Light house Gryffindor. She had started to embrace the concepts and traditions of the dark followers, she was managing to embrace the two cultures.  Perhaps it was his fault, for placing her in the Slytherin house when she questioned the morality of her house mates.  But he had known then that his perfect mud blood pawn was lost to him, when she returned from her new guardians home last summer.

So now for his plan to work, he had to manufacture a new dark lord from somewhere and quickly, and find the insufferable James Potter a malleable and opinionated partner.  He had to also find a person to take the place of the little shit Severus Snape. Whilst fighting the merging of the two British societies into one, all of course for the greater good, and to ensure that as the hymn stated everybody in magical society knew and were grateful for the status in society.

He still had time, even more time now really! With the mundane government giving the option for magical citizens to join them and leave the superior magical society. All the dross and dark affiliated magical citizens would leave, allowing Dumbledore to guide and raise the light and just citizens that were left. 

He still had control of Hogwarts (just he admitted), numerous light followers accounts and vaults, he controlled the ministry and Wizengamot.  He was the most powerful mage to ever walk this earth, even greater and more powerful than merlin himself!  And he had years to stage and fight a two pronged attack on dark magic, to eradicate it for all time.  He had his original plan to ensure one last war spread over a numerous number of years.  And to plan the final and permanent destruction of the muggle Father Christmas, because after all without the yearly renewal of the bond between Lady magic and the muggles; dark magic and its ways would finally be eradicated and die out.

Albus took a lemon drop and smiled the smile of a good and great man.  A man who knew how moral and good he was, a man that had made the ultimate sacrifices over his very long life that had lasted for centuries. 

This great, noble and good man, our hero of the story had throughout the centuries of his long life distanced himself so much from human emotions and foibles, that he now classed the whole of society as a chess board, and people in society as Chess pieces that could be sacrificed for his plan for the greater good.

Albus after all would never identify with the villain in that mundanes book, the lowly potion master, professor and spy.  Because like all good and great hero’s and men, he had never since he was a young adult and learnt from his one transgression, committed a crime, fallen off the path of righteousness or even made a wrong decision.  

After all how could perfection that encompassed Albus, ever know of the anguish, shame and hard work needed to gain the redemption of a repented sinner.  

He would ensure that they would all pay. Severus Snape thought he is safe with his new family. Not for long, the boy will pay for his audacity to slip away from his role in Albus' world order.

Why should Albus care, what damage he can inflict on the teenager, to show once and for all, that nobody oppose the great and wise Albus Dumbledore.

And Harry Brown will be the next on his hit list. Yes, it all had gone down the drain as this brat destroyed his ideal Hogwarts' reality. He reminds him of someone, but he can't say who it could be.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

There was a knock on Albus office door and after Albus had bade the people to enter, three goblins and a team of mundanes entered his office. 

The three goblins informed Albus that they were here on the orders of the Hogwarts new owners, and concerned magical and mundane parents. With of course the express permission of the new board of Governors to carry out the requested audits of the school. To inform the government and new school leadership where changes had to be implemented.

The  mundanes comprised a very experienced and established Ofsted team of inspectors, who would be making recommendations to the new Hogwarts secondary school for talented magical  pupils.

The team of Goblins  consisted of  Wouldconvicthisownmother, Evenauditorshatehim and  Rulesarenotmadetobebroken who had been handpicked for the Hogwarts audit.  The Goblins on the instructions of their mundane partners had ensured the most hated and officious  Goblin auditors they had were teamed together for this  audit.   Everybody in the Goblin nation had sighed a breath of relief when the above Goblins were handpicked for this audit.

Pearl smiled as she entered the office with Fitzwilliam and Lord Black and joined the two teams of specialists who were to start conducting the audit of the school, with a flourish she gave  Dumbledore a letter.

He opened it and spluttered in rage “You CANNOT fire me! After all WE ESTABLISHED THAT I HAVE LIFE LONG TENURE AS HEADMASTER OF THIS SCHOOL, YOU STUPID MORONIC MUGGLE BITCH!”

Pearl calmly studied her nails and she informed him “Headmaster Dumbledore! You have life long tenure as headmaster to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, which is no more I am afraid……..This school is now officially named as the Hogwarts secondary school for talented magical pupils…and I have great delight in evicting you from the post of headmaster…you have until the end of the day to gather your belongings and leave this establishment”


End file.
